A Life Cut Short
by Charmed Writer P4
Summary: This is part of a series. Soon, the four Halliwells will find out one of them will soon be gone. How will they handle it? Please read and review, despite the summary (I know it sucks!) *complete!*
1. Happy Halliwells

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Ok, since the last chapter of No Escape just kind of ended, I'm pretty much continuing right off of that. I really hope this turns out the way I'd like it to...:S Thanks to Falcon (no hard feelings, by the way) and Starring Piper who reviewed and commented on the format. And thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter of No Escape! Seriously, people, that was awesome. SnOwBuNnY, your review was completely cool! Thank you sooo much! Ok, enough of all this stuff. Let's get to the first chapter!   
  
"Yes....yes...10:30? ok, on Wednesday....uh huh. Thanks," Paige told the woman on the phone, then hung it back on the reciever. "Right, mark the calendar for Wednesday," she told Prue, turning around and forcing a cheerful smile. Nice try.  
  
"I know you well enough to know you're scared," Prue said bluntly. Paige blinked, surprised, then recovered.  
  
"Don't be silly. I'm fine," Paige answered, "What do the Elders know anyway?" The last part was said while rolling her eyes. Every one of the Halliwell sisters had come to have the same thought about the Elders. 'Screw'em.' Prue smiled and gave her sister a quick hug.   
  
"Absolutely right, Paige. We know from experience exactly what the Elders "know"," she joked, eliciting a genuine smile from Paige.  
  
"Ok, then, screw this doctor shit. Let's go do something FUN," Paige said, shaking off the earlier fears. Prue laughed, enjoying the happiness that encompassed them all. They were so grateful to have gotten out of that prison, everything seemed perfect to them now. "Everything except this illness," Paige thought to herself.  
  
"I agree. Let's go wake up Piper and Phoebe!," Prue whispered conspiratorally, a wicked plan coming to her. Paige grinned and trailed her sister up the stairs and into Piper's room.  
  
"Rise and shine," Prue shouted, bursting through the door. Big mistake. "Sorry, sorry," Prue said, slapping her hand over her eyes. Paige halted, in the middle of stepping through the doorway.  
  
"Oh my...Piper, what are you doing??," she demanded, then paused, "No never mind, I know exactly what you are doing..." Piper turned several shades of red, along with Leo, as they jerked the blankets over them. Prue and Paige rushed out the room, slamming the door behind them.  
  
"Ew," Paige emphasized, squeezing her eyes shut. Prue agreed wholeheartedly. A few seconds later, Piper shot through the door, this time dressed in a robe. (AN: Thankfully!) "Piper," Paige greeted, backing away slowly, afraid of repercussions.  
  
"What was so important that you had to...interrupt?," Piper demanded quietly. Prue burst out laughing, annoying Piper immensely. Paige joined her, both leaning on each other for support. "I really don't think this is very funny," Piper lied, trying to hide an embarrased smile. After a few minutes of laughter, Prue finally regained her composure.  
  
"We were just...going to...have some sister time," she gasped, dragging in air. Piper grinned, her anger forgotten.  
  
"Alright let me get ready, and let Leo know...," she answered, causing another bout of giggles. "What now???," she asked, confused.  
  
"I don't think Leo will want you to go," Paige teased, then ran down the hall to Phoebe's room. "Good thing, too," Piper thought, watching her sister go, "I was about to smack her." Prue smiled, ushering her sister back into her bedroom.  
  
"Ten minutes," Piper promised, only to further amuse her sister. Frustrated, she rolled her eyes good-naturedly and closed the door. Prue walked down to meet Paige, still shaking in mirth.  
  
"Let's hope this goes a little better," Paige whispered, raising her eyebrows and reaching for the knob. Just as she threw open the door, they heard Phoebe scream. Both rushed in, ready to fight whatever. No one, demon or otherwise was in sight, so Prue quickly scrambled to her sister's side.   
  
"Phoebs? Wake up honey," Prue urged, shaking her gently. Phoebe's eyes shot open. Instinctively, she hit at the first object she came in contact with. Unfortunately, that happened to be Prue. Her eyes widened as she registered who it was.  
  
"Oh my gosh, Prue, I am soo sorry," she apologized, kneeling beside her.  
  
"Ok, that is the second time one of my sisters punched me," the injured complained, sitting up and rubbing her jaw. Both Paige and Phoebe dropped their gazes to the floor guiltily. Prue grinned. "Oh well, as I've said before...Takes more than a punch to get me mad!," she insisted, jumping up from the floor, quickly followed by her sisters.  
  
"Phoebs," Paige addressed, turning to face her, "You have about fifteen minutes to get ready and be downstairs. We're going to have a sister day." Prue grinned, but Phoebe didn't look as excited as they had hoped.  
  
"No thanks, guys, I really don't feel up to it today. Y'all go ahead, have fun," she tried half-heartedly, knowing the response she would get.  
  
"You kidding? It wouldn't be a sister day if ALL of my sisters weren't there," Prue exclaimed, dragging Phoebe to her closet. "Go on, get dressed," she ordered, gesturing towards the rows of clothes inside. Phoebe groaned, but followed instructions. After making sure Phoebe was, indeed, getting ready, Prue and Paige left the room to go downstairs and wait for the others.  
  
True to her word, Piper was downstairs and smiling ten minutes later. "Oh," Paige said suddenly, and ran up the stairs. Prue and Piper exchanged the "What a freak" glance, and waited impatiently for the two missing Halliwells. After another twenty minutes, Paige came downstairs, Phoebe reluctantly in tow.  
  
"Where'd you go?," Prue asked Paige curiously. Paige smiled.  
  
"Glenn needed to know we were leaving," she answered sheepishly. Prue noticed flush in her sister's cheeks, and knew exactly the reason it took her twenty minutes to tell him goodbye. The giggles coming from Phoebe and Piper told her that they realized it as well. "Ok," Paige broke in, before anyone could tease her, "Let's go." Mercifully, her sisters kept their mouths closed and followed her out of the manor.  
  
AN: I know, it's a bit shorter than usual, but at least it's a chapter! You probably think they were a little too perky, but if I were you, I'd enjoy the happy Halliwells while it lasted...(hint hint) I hope you guys liked this. Let me know regardless. I love reviews, even flames. Ok, not so much flames, but yeah...review!! pretty please!!! 


	2. Shattered Happiness

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Well, I guess everyone wanted this sequel, judging from the reviews I got. Hey, guys, y'all are WONDERFUL!!! I just finished watching Saving Private Leo, so I'm a little teary-eyed. lol...Ummm, hows about another chapter? That OK with you? Yes, I thought it would be. Starring Piper: Your story is AWESOME, thought you should know that again. Guys, if you haven't read Trust, Starting Over, and Believe in Me, I strongly urge you to do so. Seriously, that is some good writing!  
The girls finally made it to a place for lunch, after walking around the mall for hours. A waiter watched them come in, and walked to the table they sat at. "Can I help you?," he asked, smiling.  
  
"We're going to want milkshakes first," Prue answered for all of them.  
  
"What flavor?," he asked, a pen poised over the tablet.  
  
"Chocolate," Piper and Paige answered in unison.  
  
"Vanilla," Phoebe followed. The waiter looked at Prue, and smiled again.  
  
"For you?," he asked, winking at her.  
  
"Strawberry," she answered, smiling back. As soon as he left, Phoebe grinned evilly.  
  
"He was flirting, Prue, don't you think he's a little young for you?," she demanded, shaking her head in disapproval. Prue smacked her arm.  
  
"Honestly, Prue," Piper chimed in, "He's really closer to Paige's age." At this, Paige threw a napkin at her sister.  
  
"I am a LOT older than he is!," she said defensively, "He couldn't have been much older than sixteen." Piper and Phoebe laughed, noticing the blush in Paige's cheeks. "Besides," she continued, "I HAVE someone already!"   
  
"That reminds me...," Piper said, about to start the teasing over again. Luckily, for Paige anyway, the waiter came back, balancing their milkshakes on a tray. He kept winking at Prue, as he set the drinks down.  
  
"Anything else?," he asked, staring at Prue.  
  
"We'll need another minute," Prue said quickly, sinking down into her chair.  
  
"As I was saying," Piper said, watching her sister tense up. Paige glanced up from her milkshake, and immediately regretted it. "What were you doing this morning that you had to make us wait twenty minutes?." Paige groaned inwardly, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.   
  
"Nothing," she muttered, busying herself with her milkshake. Her sisters laughed, immensely enjoying watching their baby sister squirm. After a few seconds, Paige raised her head, an amused gleam in her eye. "Why don't you tell Phoebe what we caught YOU doing this morning," she countered, receiving the hoped for response. Piper turned bright red, and suddenly looked as though she'd rather be anywhere but with her sisters. Paige giggled. Prue sat back and enjoyed the saucy comments being thrown around. At least she had escaped any more jokes about the teenage waiter!  
  
"OK, you win," Piper conceded finally, "Truce?." Paige took her outstretched hand warily, suspecting ulterior motives. "What?," Piper asked innocently, her eyes wide. Paige shook her head and quickly released her sister's hand. "The truce doesn't count for us, though," Prue said wickedly, joining the conversation.   
  
"Come on, Prue, lay off," Paige complained,   
  
"Please?," Piper added in a baby voice.   
  
"Ohh, you know please is my weakness," Prue whined, but backed off. Paige and Piper smiled, relieved to be off the hook. The silence was a comfortable one, each relishing the shakes they had before them.   
  
"Mmmm, It has been WAY too long since I've had a vanilla shake," Phoebe murmured, leaning back in her chair, satisfied. Silently, everyone agreed. It had been way too long, indeed.  
  
The happy, content moment ended quickly, when Paige slipped out of her chair, gasping for much-needed oxygen. "Oh my God," Piper shouted, dropping to her side, "Someone get an ambulance!" Prue and Phoebe moved down beside her.  
  
"Don't you do this to me, Paige," Phoebe pleaded helplessly. They watched as their little sister thrashed on the ground, alternating between screaming and pleading with them to "Please, make it stop hurting." Prue struggled not to break down, forcing herself to stay calm and sensible, allowing her other sisters to panic. Paige suddenly stilled and Prue's heart did as well.   
  
"Piper," Paige called weakly. Piper grasped her hand, making her presence know. Paige squeezed it weakly, then as she convulsed, her grip tightened into an almost unbearable clasp. Phoebe was hysterical, shaking uncontrollably, tears running unchecked down her cheeks.  
  
When Paige spoke Prue's name, and icy finger scraped down her spine. She leaned in, however reluctantly, and felt fingers jerk her hair, thus bringing her closer. "I'll kill you," Paige promised in a whisper. Prue kept telling herself it wasn't her, there was something wrong, it wasn't Paige. No matter how many times she repeated it, fear curled into a ball in the pit of her stomach. "Paige could die," she thought, then brushed the thought away. No, she wasn't going to die. She couldn't.  
  
Finally, the ambulance came, carting Paige and Piper, who refused to leave her side, away. Prue walked Phoebe to the car, both too shocked to speak. The drive was a blur to both, and then there they were, trying to calm Piper down.  
  
"Sweetie, it'll be OK," Prue soothed, not entirely believing her own words. Piper nearly screamed in frustration, but glanced around, reminding herself that they were in a hospital. She was so sick of hearing 'it'll be OK'. What was OK about her baby sister going up in convulsions in the middle of lunch?? Phoebe sat in one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, and drew her knees to her chest. Sighing, Piper whirled around and joined Phoebe, annoyed with Prue.  
  
"What'll we do if she's not OK?," Phoebe asked softly. Prue and Piper both looked at her. It was the first thing she'd said since they got there.   
  
"I don't think we have to wor..." Prue began, but stopped. That wasn't an honest answer. In her mind, she could see the doctor coming out to them, informing them that there was nothing they could have done to save their sister. "I don't know," she said truthfully, in a whisper so soft both strained to hear her. "I don't know," she repeated.   
  
AN: I know, I know, too short again. Sorry, but this seemed a good place to stop. I'll continue sooner if you review!! OH no, I've resorted to bribery.... 


	3. Disease

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: I'm amazed at all the good comments I've gotten...I really never thought my stories were all that good. Thank you so much!  
SnOwBuNnY: Thanks for both of your reviews. Don't worry, I'm not killing her just yet...lol That is all I can promise for now. OH, and, If you don't know what Paige was doing those twenty minutes, It is probably best...lol  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Glad you like the story, thanks for the review  
HalliwellGirls: *hands over a chocolate bar* What kind of bribe would it be if it didn't involve chocolate? *looks incredulous at any other alternative*  
Kristen's Paige: oh, be quiet Jamie, I NEVER bribe people..:P  
Rea: Hey, you are becoming a consistant reviewer! WOO HOO!! Thank you sooo much for following my stories. I really really appreciate it.  
CharmingTess: It wasn't evil...much! :)   
Wotcha: I would never think to bribe you, of COURSE you don't need bribes...*hands over a twenty secretively* lolol J/K You are very encouraging, I really love to read your reviews!  
Ok, I'm done...for now.  
  
"Are you related to...Paige Matthews?," a man asked, wearing a white coat. Prue jumped out of her chair, and rushed to him, searching his eyes for some kind of clue. He seemed sad. That was the first thing she noticed about him. He was young still, so it was hard for him to keep his work from touching his life. Piper moved in behind her, crossing her arms, warding off shivers.  
  
"We're her sisters," she answered quickly, her tone urging him to go on. Her heart plummeted as he cleared his throat, clearly reluctant to tell her.   
  
"I...I'm Doctor Stephens," he stammered, then gained his professional composure, "I am truly sorry to have to inform you of this...Your sister has a very rare brain disease. Not much is known about it, including how it is contracted. There is obviously no cure. We will do whatever we can to make her comfortable before..." Prue collapsed, right there, knowing what his last words would be. He caught her as she pitched forward, then carried her to a chair behind her. Piper pushed past him, kneeling in front of Prue.  
  
"Hey, don't lose it just yet, OK? We'll do something...whatever it takes," she whispered, low enough for the doctor to miss it.  
  
He cleared his throat again. Nervous habit. "I'll let you know more as soon as I can," he said, then walked away. Phoebe laughed cynically.  
  
"I'm sure you will," she sneered. Piper glanced at her, startled. "What?," she demanded, "They are all the same. They pretend to be so touched and pained when a patient is dying, but you know what they are really thinking? Good, more money for me while the grieving family members waste their time on silly cures and hopeless medicines." Piper and Prue watched her in shock as she bolted out of her chair and began pacing. "You can't honestly believe that they care! Come on, fatal illnesses are like bonus checks for those weasels...'Oh look, another slow, tortured death! Come on honey, let's go buy you another diamond'," she screamed, close to hysteria.   
  
"Phoebe," Prue said quietly. Phoebe ignored her, caught up in her anger.  
  
"That's right, I bet he's in there now, planning what his next vacation is while our baby sister," she ranted, pausing for a breath, "Our sister is dying in a hospital bed." Finally, worn out, she began to cry. Piper tried to hug her, but she pulled away. Physical contact would be her last straw.  
  
"Phoebe listen to me," Prue said firmly, putting aside her own grief. Slowly, she approached her sister. "Have I ever made a promise I didn't keep?," she asked softly. Phoebe nearly said 'no'.  
  
"You mean besides the fact that you told us you would never leave us?," she countered, feeling the anger well up inside of her again. Prue winced, remembering the promise she had made to Phoebe when they were little. (AN: It's in Unbreakable as a flashback if you aren't sure what I'm talking about. Chapter...4)  
  
"Alright fine," she sighed, "What other time did I break a promise?" Phoebe could think of none, and dropped her eyes to the floor. "Exactly. So believe me when I say, I will do EVERYTHING I can to keep her alive," she promised firmly. Phoebe wiped away the stray tears on her face.  
  
"If you promise, I trust you," she conceded, wrapping Prue in a tight hug. Just then, the doctor came walking back.  
  
"My patient is asking..well, demanding your presence, and I see no reason to deprive her of her wishes," he told them, smiling a little. Prue was forced to smile.  
  
"Demanding, huh? That is definitely our sister," she admitted.  
  
"Come on," he ushered, "I'll show you the way." The girls followed him down a long hallway. Piper glanced into one of the rooms. An old man was calling for someone to help him. Shuddering, she focused her attention on the back of Prue's head.   
  
"I hate hospitals," she muttered. The others echoed her sentiments. Each wondered what they would say to their sister. What can you say to someone who is dying? They didn't have much time to think on it, though, because Doctor Stephens turned into a room. 204 was the numer on the door, and Prue made a mental note of that.  
  
"Hey guys! Talk about crashing a part," Paige joked half-heartedly. No one smiled. "Tough crowd," she murmured. Prue walked to her bedside and leaned to kiss her forehead.  
  
"Hey sis, how ya feeling?," she asked, pushing back tears. Paige tried to smile reassuringly, but failed. Tears rushed from her eyes.  
  
"They say that I...that I'm going to...," she whispered fearfully, unable to finish the sentence.  
  
"They are wrong, Paige," Piper offered, taking her hand. Paige nodded, but Piper could tell she didn't believe her for a minute.  
  
"She's right," Prue insisted. Phoebe stayed by the door. She couldn't force herself to comfort her little sister, couldn't breathe soothing words all the while knowing that inevitably, it was all a lie.  
  
"Phoebe," Paige called, looking past her sisters. Phoebe avoided her gaze, shaking her head slightly. "Come here, honey," she urged gently, holding out her free hand. Phoebe shook her head more vigorously.  
  
"Phoebe!," Piper nearly shouted. Why was she acting like this? Phoebe felt bile rise in her throat and ran out of the room, leaving very shocked and hurt sisters behind her.  
  
"I'll go," Prue said, stopping Piper, who had already started for the door. Piper nodded, stepping back. Prue briskly walked out, relieved to have something to concentrate on.  
  
"She's grieving me already," Paige sad sadly, startling Piper.  
  
"Don't," Piper returned in a shaky voice, "Don't start talking like this thing is unstoppable." Paige stayed silent, but inside she knew that the disease couldn't be stopped and no words, no promises, no medicines or alternative treatment could change the fact that her mind was being devoured. Slowly... determinedly... inevitably.  
  
AN: Alright, what did you think? 


	4. sisters

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Well, I got diverse comments on Paige's disease. Wotcha being the most forceful...lol. I guess that means...wait what does that mean? :S  
Kristen's Paige: OK, ONE word doesn't mean I can't spell! What did you do? Pick through the entire story to find that? lol :P  
Wotcha: Ummm, I'm sorry? lol, thanks for reviewing  
wAnNaBpIpEr: I know, Phoebe made me mad too, and I'm the one that wrote it, so what does that tell you?   
HalliwellGirls: glad you enjoyed your chocolate :) Thanks for the review  
SnOwBuNnY: Thank you times like a million. That was the biggest compliment you could have given me. I didn't think I could evoke that kind of emotion (even when combining efforts with a song). You truly inspired me, thank you. I was kind of partial to the Phoebe/Psycho scene too...:P  
Starring Piper: What can I tell you that I haven't already? You are my number one reviewer, have been for like...well, a long time. Thank You. It means more to me than you can know.  
All right people, thanks for the support and encouragement!!!! I'll get on with it now...  
  
"What the hell do you think you are doing? Phoebe, our baby sister is in there, falling apart after finding out something that would scare even the strongest person, and here you are...making this all about you. You called Piper selfish? Look at yourself," Prue yelled harshly, livid with anger. Phoebe sank to the floor, looking straight ahead. Prue barely...just barely restrained from slapping her across the face. "Don't you have anything to say?," she demanded hotly, lowering herself to look into Phoebe's eyes. Phoebe blinked and focused on her. Her previous anger welled up again, making her lash out.  
  
"I...am...not...making...this...about...me," she hissed softly. Prue choked back her disbelief. "Why don't you go back to her, and leave me ALONE," she screamed, startling Prue.  
  
"Best idea you have ever had Phoebe," Prue sneered, stalking out of the hospital bathroom. Phoebe waited until she completely disappeared out the door before she let her genuine emotion show. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks as she buried her head in her hands.  
  
"Why now?," she pleaded to the empty room, "Why so soon?"   
  
~Phoebe's POV~ (sorry, I know you don't like first person Starring, but it is really necessary for this)  
I was so relieved to see that my premonition had been wrong, and now this...Is this some kind of curse? The one we depend on most gets ripped from us. 'Let's see how much the precious Charmed Ones can handle. Take away their support, see if the fall.' I got through it when Prue died, it hurt more than I ever thought was possible, but I made it through. But because of PAIGE! Without her....my God, we barely know her. So much has happened and we haven't had time to just...talk. We don't know about her little quirks, or her high school stories. She won't get to get married. Glenn. Does he know? We didn't tell him! He's sitting at the manor, thinking we are away on some sister day and the love of his life is lying in a hospital bed, recovering from the shock of finding out that her life was fading away from her.   
  
Phoebe jumped off the ground, with the intent to call Glenn immediately. Her plans were hindered by a brooding Piper stomping into the bathroom. "Phoebe Christine Halliwell, how dare you?," she yelled upon entering. Phoebe waved her away.  
  
"Don't start, Piper. I got this talk from Prue already. I am going to do something productive," she said, emphasizing 'productive'. Piper grabbed her shoulders roughly, shaking her.  
  
"Productive would be supporting your SISTER, Phoebe, not wallowing in self pity in the bathroom!," she snapped.  
  
"For your information, I am not 'wallowing in self pity'," she said, mocking Piper with her last few words, "I was heading to a pay phone to inform Glenn of what had been happening." Piper released her sister, the 'oops' look spreading across her face. (AN: You all know it, the one you get one you just got proved wrong...) Phoebe smiled with a hint of sarcasm, though she felt nothing worth smiling about, and sauntered out of the room. Piper glared at her back, and went back to Paige's room.  
  
"She wouldn't come for you either," Prue said, not a question, but a statement. Piper shook her head.   
  
"She is going to call Glenn and tell him...well, what has gone on," she answered. Paige shot up, panicked.  
  
"NO, she can't...He doesn't need to know just yet. I didn't want him to know. Please, someone stop her before she tells him," she stammered, tripping over her words because of her rushing. Prue and Piper exchanged glances, and Prue made her way out of the room for the second time.  
  
"Phoebe, wait," she called as loudly as she could when she spotted her sister walking down the hall. Phoebe turned slowly, making it clear that she did not like being stopped. Prue rushed to catch up to her.  
  
"Well?," Phoebe demanded. Prue fought back the nasty comments she really, really wanted to hurl at her to deliver Paige's message.  
  
"Paige doesn't want you to tell Glenn," she said coldly.   
  
"That's ridiculous," Phoebe started, but shut up quickly when she saw the look in Prue's eyes. Even in all her anger, she knew better than to keep going when Prue had 'the look'. Whirling around, Prue marched off, certain Phoebe would hold off on calling Glenn.  
  
"Sometimes I hate having sisters," Phoebe muttered. Immediately she regretted even thinking that. She was losing one, she should feel lucky to have them at all. Guiltily, she forced herself to trail Prue. Paige didn't deserve to be pushed away, not when all she needed was to be comforted. When she walked in, Piper was sitting on the bed beside Paige, gripping both of her hands. Prue was sitting in a nearby chair, still looking as angry as ever. Phoebe's pace faltered, then picked back up until she got to the foot of Paige's bed.  
  
"You all right, now?," Paige inquired, concerned. Phoebe nodded, amazed at her sister.   
  
"I should be asking YOU that," she answered.  
  
"Me? I'm just peachy," Paige returned, that cheerful smile in place. Phoebe was not fooled.  
  
"Yeah, I bet," she murmured softly. Paige's smile toned down from cheerful, to amused, to sad. Phoebe crawled onto the bed, giving Paige a huge hug. Paige chuckled. That was such a Phoebe thing to do. Piper dropped from the bed, giving them some space. "Are you mad at me?," Phoebe asked childishly, snuggling into Paige. Paige rested her chin on Phoebe's head.  
  
"No, of course not sweetie. It's a normal reaction to...to shock," she finished, changing her sentence slightly so as not to upset her sister even more. She'd almost said grief. Phoebe nodded slightly. Prue softened towards her sister, watching the interaction between them. It made her heart ache, knowing the pain they were both going through. Anger melted away into unconditional love. Phoebe had that affect on people.  
  
Tears threatened to spill over Piper's cheeks as she watched her two younger sisters comfort each other. It didn't seem right that Paige was leaving their lives just when things were calming down from the last experience. She reached out to touch Phoebe's cheek. Phoebe lifted her hand to hold Piper's hand in place. "I'm sorry I treated all of you that way earlier," she whispered. Paige tightened her arms, reassuring her that all was forgiven in her eyes. Piper allowed one teardrop to fall, moved by the sweet innocence in Phoebe's words. Her eyes traveled over to Prue, who sat all alone, taking in the scene. Prue met her tear-filled eyes and slowly walked over to join them.  
  
No one wanted to interrupt the silence, for fear of shattering the almost peaceful atmosphere about them. All the love they felt for each other, all the comfort they offered just kind of hovered over them, washing away their grief for a brief respite. When Doctor Stephens walked in, the spell was broken. A tangible sense of disappointment made the doctor hesitate.  
  
"I just wanted to let you know that Paige is free to go home tomorrow morning. We are keeping her overnight, to make sure she doesn't regress into seizures again," he informed them.  
  
"She definitely gets out tomorrow, though, right?," Prue asked. Doctor Stephens nodded.  
  
"Unless something happens, that is a promise," he answered. The 'unless something happens' lingered behind him, even after he left.  
  
"That's good, right?," Piper tried, smiling at Paige. Paige shrugged.  
  
"I hate hospitals," she stated bluntly, eliciting smiles all around the room.  
  
"Let me let you in on a secret," Piper dropping her voice to a soft whisper, leaning in, as if conspiring with her, "We all do." Paige giggled, snuggling back into Phoebe, allowing room for Piper to crawl in as well. Prue glanced at them all curled up together. They all looked as if they were waiting for her to jump in with them.  
  
"I don't think so. Four people in that bed is not my idea of a good time," she said, shaking her head and walking back to her chair.  
  
"o...k," Paige sighed, faking disappointment. Piper put her arms around both of her sisters, breathing in their scents. Paige smelled faintly of fruits, and Phoebe of wildflowers. She mentally filed that away, saving it in case something happened and she no longer could just hug them and find out. She hated thinking that there would be a day that she couldn't embrace any of them to offer comfort or love. "What kind of world is this that you have to worry about your younger sister dying?," she asked herself silently, then pushed away her thoughts.  
  
"I love you," she told them, contenting herself with the present. Her words were echoed back to her from all three of her sisters, soothing her spirit. For a while, they had to let that be enough.  
  
AN: That was the hardest chapter I think I have ever written, please let me know what you thought of it. I poured everything I had into it, so you know...be nice. No, I take that back. Be honest. 


	5. Switched

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Ok, a couple of new reviewers, aw I feel loved!   
HalliwellGirls: I'm touched by your review, like I told SnOsBuNnY, I didn't think I could evoke that kind of emotion...so it really really encourages me to hear that. Thank you SO much! About the Paige dying thing....you'll see.  
heyhun: thank you for the review, its good to know you are reading!  
Daisy: Look, you got an AN!!! lol Thanks for taking the time to read and review, means a lot!  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Did Phoebe redeem herself to you in the last chapter? She was being kind of...yeah. I guess you know, huh?  
CharmingTess: I know, I've never personally liked the Elders much, if you didn't know that already...Even if I AM the Elders in this, doesn't mean I have to like Them! I know, it really isn't fair for Paige not to get to be around to know them Read on, I might surprise you. I'm thankful I don't have to bribe for comments now! :)  
Starring Piper: Your review made me smile, thanks for all your support. *gives lotz of cookies* That's just because I love ya...lol  
  
Phoebe looked lovingly on her sleeping sisters. Piper had her head on Paige's stomach, looking peaceful in her slumber. Paige had her hand in Piper's hair, and her other arm across Phoebe's abdomen. Nudging her hand gently, she removed herself carefully from the bed and glanced over at Prue. Prue's head was resting on her hand. She was sleeping, despite the odd and uncomfortable position. Smiling, she kissed Paige's forehead, the Piper. Deciding against doing the same to Prue, for fear of waking her, she quietly slipped out of the room. She pressed her hand against the door as it closed, shutting with a small click. For a minute, she rested her forehead against the door, preparing herself mentally for what she was about to do, then she turned and walked, determined, back to the bathroom she'd earlier fought with her sisters in. She checked the stalls, assuring herself that she was alone.  
  
"Ok, you can do this," she whispered to herself with more confidence than she felt, "Leo!" Flashing blue lights filled the room as Leo orbed in.  
  
"Phoebe, are you OK? Where are we, where's your sisters?," he asked, questioning her rapidly.  
  
"I'm fine...but Paige isn't," she told him, her voice cracking with emotion. Leo looked confused, then worried.  
  
"What's happened?," he demanded.  
  
"Sh-she has a rare brain disease," she choked out, forcing back her tears and taking a deep, steadying breath. Leo waited for her to continue. "I need you to orb to the attic at the Manor," she said urgently.  
  
"Phoebe, you know you can't use magic to heal her," Leo reprimanded.  
  
"That isn't what I have in mind. Just take me, Leo, it's pointless to argue. I've made up my mind," she ordered firmly, falling back on what she had learned from Prue. Bossiness. (AN: no offense, Prue fans, I happen to be one myself. You know she's bossy!) Leo stared at her, debating whether or not she was sane enough to make decisions. She met his eye steadily. Finally, he looked away and nodded. She placed her hand in his.  
  
"Thanks Leo," she said, then felt herself being swept away. The feeling of light airiness lasted only a few seconds, then they were in the attic. She trudged over to the alter that held the book, and busied herself with flipping through the pages.  
  
"What are you looking for Phoebe? I thought we'd agreed you couldn't use magic to save her," he implored, frustrated with her silence. Phoebe merely waved a hand at him, indicating that he needed to leave her alone. Running her hand down a page, she smiled her satisfaction.  
  
"Got it!," she proclaimed triumphantlyl. She grabbed a nearby notebook and pen and jotted down the spell, stuffing it in her pocket when she completed it. "Alright, Leo, let's get back to the hospital," she urged, running to him and grabbing his arm. Leo sighed and did as he was told.  
  
"Phoebe," he started, but she raced past him.  
  
"No time to talk now," she called over her shoulder, disappearing. He stared at the empty space she'd been occupied. Maybe the Elders would know something...  
  
Phoebe stepped quietly into room 204, closing the door gently behind her. She took a hesitant step towards Paige, then, making up her mind, she quickened her step. She reached out to grab Paige's hand. It felt warm and solid. She tightened her grip slightly, reminding herself why she was doing what she was doing.  
  
"What's mine is yours, What's yours is mine, Let this sickness cross the line, I offer up this gift to share, Switch this illness through the air," she whispered softly, improvising when needed. She didn't feel any different, but then, Paige had seemed normal to them too. Until everything went wrong, she had seemed perfectly healthy.  
  
"Phoebe, what did you just do?," Prue demanded, startling Phoebe.  
  
"I...I, nothing. Why?," she stammered, struggling to keep her face blank. Prue jumped out of her chair, rushing over to her sister.  
  
"What kind of spell was that, Phoebe?," she asked, getting control of her terror. "Busted," Phoebe thought to herself.  
  
"It was...I just did what I had to, Prue," she told her adamantly. Prue's eyes widened. Her fears had been confirmed.  
  
"Why?," she pleaded gently, "Why would you do this?" Phoebe felt a lump in her throat, and stayed silent for a moment, holding back her tears.  
  
"You were always the one to risk your life for us, I wanted to make you proud...I wanted to be the big sister. Paige deserves to live," she answered quietly. Prue hugged her fiercely, as if she was afraid to let go.  
  
"We have to reverse the spell," she told her. Phoebe jerked away from her.  
  
"No," she said firmly, "I won't sign her death certificate, no matter what you say." Prue closed her eyes against the pain coursing through. How did she make one sister kill the other? She couldn't, woudn't make that decision. If Phoebe didn't reverse the magic, then she would die. If she did, Paige would die. What kind of choice was that?  
  
"You stupid, stubborn...," she said through tears, pulling her into another embrace. Phoebe leaned into her, taking comfort in her older sister. The fear hadn't settled in yet. She was still numb, not totally sure of what she had done to herself.  
  
"I love her Prue, I had to," she insisted. Prue nodded. She knew the feeling only too well. So many times she had chosen them over herself, so many times had she told herself that she had to. It didn't help to know that she herself would have done the same thing. The fact remained that she was losing one of her sisters.  
  
Doctor Stephens blinked, confused at what he was seeing. The name on the records changed. It didn't say Paige Matthews, it said Phoebe Halliwell. He shook his head, making sure he hadn't imagined it. Then, all memories of Ms. Matthews was erased, and his head was filled with the name Phoebe. "Ok, Ms. Halliwell, what are we going to do for you?," he whispered to himself. Her case was hopeless, but he couldn't accept that. Something had to be done, right? He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him differently.  
  
Paige awoke with a start, gasping. She'd been dreaming that she was in a hospital, dying...looking around, she realized that it wasn't just a dream and all of it rushed back at her. "Paige," Prue said, stepping away from Phoebe.  
  
"Paige, I have something to tell you...," Phoebe started, making her way to the side of the bed.  
  
"Brace yourself," Prue told her gently, then shook Piper awake.  
  
"What? What's wrong?," Piper asked, sitting up quickly.  
  
"I did something that you both should know about," Phoebe said in a small voice. 


	6. Why?

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Hey y'all, how's it going? Thanks for all the great reviews!  
Rea: Wow, you definitely earned this spot! Three reviews, yay! OK, since I confused you, you can have some cookies. *gives cookies* that better?  
Kristen's Paige: Nah, she isn't too mad about it. :P She understands. lol  
HalliwellGirls: There's no making you happy is there? ;) I know what you mean, it sucks that any of them have to die. Thank you for the review. I always love hearing from ya!  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Thanks so much for the review, it was great. What line did I take? I'm confused :S lol. I'm adding, aren't ya happy? :D  
Heyhun: Yeah, I like to surprise people!!! :D Trust me, with all the great compliments I'm getting, I will definitely keep writing. Thanks for your support!  
SnOwBuNnY: Thanks for your reviews! The one on last chapter was hilarious...although a friend of mine who happens to love Phoebe was sitting beside me..lol. Thanks again!  
Starring Piper: Dontcha hate it when authors shock you? (hint: Believe in Me, more than one boy...grrr) lol Thanks for your review. I know, this story is really very sad.  
  
"What does that mean?," Piper asked, shaking.She already feared the worst. Phoebe looked at the floor, unable to continue. "Prue?," Piper begged, knowing Phoebe would not answer.  
  
"It means that Phoebe took the disease from Paige's body and transferred it into hers. It means she's the one dy..sick now," Prue explained wearily. Piper covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes filling up with tears. The worst was exactly what had happened.  
  
"No...that isn't possible," she whispered, denying it all with a shake of her head. Phoebe stood to the side helplessly. "Why?," Piper pleaded. She couldn't make her mind wrap itself around the idea. Phoebe mulled that question over, not knowing how to answer her.  
  
"Because I love her, and I didn't want her to die..because she has so much to live for...because I wanted her to be able to get married and have kids....because I wanted to be the big sister Prue always is...There isn't a simple reason," she answered finally, analyzing her reasons slowly. Piper felt pain rip through her. How had she let this happen?  
  
"Honey, you didn't have to...I mean, we would have found a way...surely there's a way to stop this," Piper stammered.  
  
"If there is, then you will find it and I'll be fine, and if there isn't...Paige will live. That's all I want," Phoebe reasoned, then began to cry quietly. She just couldn't hold her tears back anymore. Piper quickly crossed to her, wiping ineffectively at the tears on her sister's face. What were they going to do?  
  
Prue glanced over at Paige, gauging her thoughts. She looked pale. It was as though she wasn't in that room, her face had that far off look. She just stared, unblinkingly past all of them and at something the others couldn't see.  
  
"Paige?," she called, trying to bring her out of it. Paige reacted slowly, blinking, then looking at her sister in confusion.  
  
"Why are my clothes different?," Paige asked, looking down at herself. It was then that everyone in the room noticed that Phoebe no longer had her street clothes on. She was wearing a hospital gown, and Paige was dressed in her normal clothes.  
  
"It must have been the spell," Prue answered softly, not wanting to startle her back into the trance-like state she'd been in. Paige nodded like she understood. Her face lost the confused look, and took a whole different emotion.  
  
"You shouldn't have pulled this, Phoebe!," Paige screamed suddenly, sobbing, "This was MY burden, not yours. I didn't need to be saved. It was my destiny. Mine!" Paige stopped, breathless from her crying. Prue soothed her, hugging her and rubbing her back in small circles. Silence pressed down on them. A thick, choking silence that weighed on them heavily.   
  
"What else could I have done?," Phoebe asked tiredly, unable to bear the quiet any longer. Paige pulled away from Prue to stare at her older sister.  
  
"Why did you have to do anything?," she countered, wiping away the last few tears. Phoebe smiled sadly. She wanted so desperately for Paige to understand.  
  
"It isn't easy to explain...," Phoebe began, struggling to put her thoughts into words, "Look at it this way, I've grown up with Piper and Prue. We know each other...really KNOW each other. The way sisters do. You haven't gotten that yet. I wanted to give you a chance to have that kind of closeness."   
  
"But..you're my sister, too. We deserve the chance to get to know each other," Paige argued.  
  
"I know...believe me I know. It's better this way, though. At least you'll have them," Phoebe answered. Piper closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Prue didn't even bother to hold them back. What was the point?  
  
"Please, reverse the spell," Paige implored, walking over to face her sister. Phoebe reached out and grabbed her hands, squeezing them tightly.  
  
"I can't," she refused simply. Paige's face crumpled. Phoebe quickly embraced her, offering whatever comfort she could. "Don't be upset about this, Paige. I did it because I love you. You would have done the same thing for me," she whispered. Paige knew her words were true, and hated that fact fiercely. She couldn't ask her sister to do something she herself would not. Still, Phoebe should NOT be dying because of her. It just wasn't right.  
  
"Phoebe, maybe you should lie down," Prue suggested tearfully. She'd noticed all of the color in her sister's face had drained away. Phoebe nodded dizzily, breaking away from Paige.  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right," she agreed, then swayed and pitched forward. Prue was there, catching her limp body before it hit the cold tiles. Carefully, she tucked her into the hospital bed.  
  
"Piper, go get Doctor Stephens," Prue ordered.  
  
"What are we going to do about the switch?," Piper asked, concerned. The last thing they needed were questions about their...secret. If they were found out, something disastrous was bound to happen. They had to be careful.  
  
"I have a feeling that when he walks in here, he isn't going to notice anything different," Prue answered, "Just go." Piper hesitantly walked out of the room, glancing back towards her sisters, then decided to trust Prue as she'd always done. Paige went to the other side of the bed, clasping Phoebe's hand. It was cold, a fact that terrified her. It felt of death.  
  
"Why did she do this, Prue?," she demanded weakly. Prue shrugged.  
  
"Because she had to," she replied steadily, her eyes still on Phoebe's face. Paige nodded, though Prue couldn't see her. Finally, there was a reason she could understand.   
  
AN: I know, I made you wait longer than usual. Let's just say I had a minor battle with writer's block...I'm still not fond of this chapter, but I'll let you guys decide what you think. Review, please!! 


	7. Let her go

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Well, now, do I detect a little Phoebe hatin'? lolol  
SnOwBuNnY: You really really don't like her do you? lolol  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Don't worry, Paige feels sorry for herself, too...you'll see. Thanks for reviewing!  
Anne: welcome to the story, glad you are enjoying it! Thanks for the review!  
HalliwellGirls: heh, I already killed Cole! It was fun, too, I enjoyed every last second. lol I don't want to kill them, it is my twisted mind....honest!  
Kristen's Paige: I'm sick...:( Glad you liked the update!  
Lara-Beth: Hey, great review. Glad you "loves it"   
Wotcha: Hey, welcome back, I've missed you! lol, do I update too fast? I can stop if you'd like...I know, stupid Phoebe, how dare she save her sister...sorry, my mind works in mysterious ways...I'm insane, what can I say? lol :D  
  
Phoebe stirred just as Piper came running in, followed by a very anxious Doctor Stephens. Prue smiled down at her little sister, relieved to see her eyes open.  
  
"Ms. Halliwell," Doctor Stephens greeted, glad to see she was awake, "How are you feeling?" Phoebe grimaced, apparently not doing as well as he had hoped.  
  
"Dizzy," she answered simply, taking a deep breath as she tried to sit up. Paige quickly pushed her back down, concerned she would pass out again.  
  
"I'm fine," Phoebe insisted, batting Paige's hands away.  
  
"She's right, just lay down Ms. Halliwell," Doctor Stephens intervened, much to the relief of Paige. Arguing with Phoebe was not a favorite task of hers. Phoebe rolled her eyes, but did as she was told.  
  
"Anything besides dizziness?," he asked, checking her pulse. Silently, he counted her heart beat. Phoebe gently shook her head, taking another steadying breath.  
  
"She's still going home tomorrow, right?," Prue asked. She didn't like hospitals anymore than the rest of them, so the sooner Phoebe got out, the better.  
  
"She's seems fine to me. As long as nothing else happens, I think it is safe for her to leave," he answered. "Finally, good news," Phoebe thought to herself, letting herself relax into the bed. "Let me know if you have another...episode," he told her, patting her on the hand. Phoebe felt like biting his fingers. Condescending little...  
  
"Alright Doctor, thank you," Piper said, keeping her sister from saying anything rude. Doctor Stephens took the subtle hint and left the room.  
  
"I hate doctors," Phoebe breathed disgustedly, sneering at the door. Prue had the urge to pat her hand, but fought it back. She'd probably bite her hand!  
  
"He's here to help you," she said, carefully holding her hand by her side. Phoebe scoffed, but changed the subject.  
  
"Don't you need to go home? Let Glenn know where you are...," Phoebe inquired, glancing at Paige.  
  
"That's what they have phones for, hon," Paige replied sarcastically. Phoebe grinned, but it quickly faded.  
  
"Still...you ought to go home. All of you," she emphasized. She knew her pleas were pointless, but at least she tried.  
  
"We aren't going anywhere," came the expected reply from Prue. Phoebe just nodded. What else could she say? She wouldn't have left either. An awkward silence filled the air, making everyone uncomfortable.  
  
"Soooo," Paige said, trying to fill the silence. Her little conversation starter fell flat. Besides, what she really wanted to say, she refused to express. For instance, how incredibly mad she was that Phoebe cast that spell...or maybe how scared she was...or that she was afraid she had just murdered her older sister. Even a 'I wish I was never born. Look at what I've caused' would have been fine, but she couldn't say those things. Why make a bad situation worse?   
  
"Paige, this is not your fault," Phoebe said suddenly. What was she a mind reader?  
  
"How is it not?," Paige demanded. So much for keeping quiet. "If you had never met me, you would never have cast that stupid spell!"  
  
"If I hadn't met you? Paige, meeting you was a great thing, not something to regret," Phoebe said incredulously. She could not believe Paige had just said that.  
  
"Yeah, a great thing alright. So great, in fact, that you are dying!," Paige screamed. It was too late for her to stop now, so she decided to get it all out in the open.  
  
"That isn't because I met you, Paige. It's because I love you and you're my sister," Phoebe explained, keeping her voice low.  
  
"You wouldn't love me if you hadn't met me," Paige pointed out, "And some sister, I just killed you!"   
  
"I'm not dead yet, Paige," Phoebe whispered tearfully. Usually, tears would have stopped Paige, but today was not usual.  
  
"You know it's inevitable, though. When Piper got sick, the only spell you could fine backfired. There is no saving you. We all know it!," Paige shouted angrily. She wasn't angry with Phoebe, and Phoebe knew that. It didn't stop her from getting angry right back.  
  
"You know what Paige? Screw you! If you want to whine about how this is all your fault, then go ahead, but leave me out of it!," Phoebe yelled. Prue and Piper exchanged glances. This wouldn't lead anywhere good...  
  
"Sweetie, calm down. I don't want you overdoing it," Piper said timidly. Phoebe ignored her, too caught up in the argument.  
  
Paige paused for a moment. How had this become a fight? All she wanted to do was tell her how sorry she was for causing all of this, and it had turned into...well, this. Screw it.  
  
"Fine, I'll leave you out of it. I'll just walk out of here right now. You won't ever have to listen to me 'whine'," she sneered, stalking out of the room. Prue swore under her breath and started to go after her, but decided against it.  
  
"Aren't we going to go get her?," Piper asked. Surely they weren't going to let her walk out of there.  
  
"No," Prue spat angrily, "If she wants to leave that's fine. I'm not going to stop her!" Piper gaped at her sister.  
  
"You can't be serious," Piper exclaimed, still gaping. Prue nodded curtly, indicating that she was. Phoebe felt her anger melt down into guilt. Tears sprang to her eyes as she reviewed what she had just said. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she mentally berated herself. That was exactly the opposite of what Paige needed to hear right now.  
  
"Please, maybe we should get her," Phoebe said quietly.  
  
"No, she can come back on her own, or she can stay gone," Prue said with authority. Although she didn't like it, Piper listened to her older sister and resisted the urge to run after Paige. Maybe she just needed some time...  
  
Prue brooded silently, stomping over to a chair. She couldn't believe how selfish her sister had been! Of course...Phoebe had acted the same way, but that was different. Phoebe was her baby sister, Paige was just...  
  
"Oh my god," she whispered, shocked at her own thoughts. Piper's head jerked up, hearing Prue's comment.  
  
"What is it?," she asked, immediately worried.  
  
"Nothing," Prue answered quickly. Piper was suspicious, but decided not to push it. "So that's it, huh? Underneath it all, you don't even consider her your true sister?," she asked herself harshly. She didn't want to answer that question. She was too afraid of what the answer would be...  
  
AN: dang writer's block! ugh, I hated this chapter...I hope you didn't hate it as much as I do. Well, regardless, let me know. I may completely redo it if I get enough neg. comments...Thanks for reading! 


	8. Panic & Guilt

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Any suggestion you guys have on makin' this better is OK by me!!!  
SnOwBuNnY: OK, I'll update soon, but only cuz you were so nice to me in your review...thanks for the great compliments.  
wAnNaBpIpEr: I hated it because I'm having some trouble coming up with good ideas, hopefully I'll like this chapter better...  
HalliwellGirls: In my story The End, I vanquished the lousy excuse for a...well, whatever he was. Loser. Thanks for stickin' with this story! Oh, yeah, you were my fiftieth reviewer!!! You get the prize! *gives lotz of chocolate*   
Kristen's Paige: Thanks for reviewing...:P  
Lara-Beth: Of course, I wouldn't expect you to like the chapter more than your name :D:P Thanks for reviewing, your comments meant a lot.  
Wotcha: If it is necessary, I can handle fewer reviews...I guess. But I'm gonna miss you, cuz your reviews are always fun to read. Prue is just...mean! Who wouldn't choose Paige's side over pHOebe's? lolol   
Read on, people, read on...  
  
Piper sat next to Phoebe, a million thoughts racing through her head. What if Paige didn't come back? What if they never saw her again. What if Phoebe died and Paige never knew. What if...what if. Her heart began to beat faster, her breath came in quick gulps. Maybe Paige will walk out of the hospital and a demon will attack and we'll never know....we'll never know. She tried to clear her head, but the doubts kept piling up. Her breathing sped up, and suddenly it was like her throat had closed up. She couldn't breath, her lungs burned. She tried to calm down and found it was hopeless. What if...what if...  
  
Paige walked out to the car, digging in her pockets for the spare key she always carried with her. "Hopefully the spell didn't affect the key," she thought to herself as her hand closed over a cold piece of metal. "Gotcha," she whispered triumphantly, and unlocked the doors. Everything hit her as she turned the engine. Breathing deeply, she eased the gear into drive. She had to stay angry, or all the guilt would come rushing back. If she could get to Glenn, everything would be fine. Relieved to have a goal, her driving straightened out.  
  
Prue noticed Piper's breathing first, and went to her side. Phoebe shot up, watching Prue's hurried step. "What? What is it?," Phoebe demanded worriedly.  
  
"She's having a panic attack, Phoebe," Prue answered distractedly.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"Remember, she used to have them when we were younger," Prue reminded her. Phoebe nodded, remembering vaguely when she and Prue had had to calm Piper down at school. Piper couldn't make herself breathe, all she could think about were the what ifs. What if she couldn't save her sisters? Her chest began to burn. She needed to breathe.  
  
"Piper, listen to me. You have to calm down. Breathe slowly," Prue urged, taking Piper's face in her hands and forcing her too look at her.  
  
Paige couldn't help but remember her sister's harsh tones, or how everything that was happening was her fault. She kept driving, unaware at first that she was rapidly picking up speed. 40, 50, 60 miles an hour. 65,70,73,74...When she glanced at the speedometer, she forced herself to slow down. Then, as guilt washed through her, she pressed her foot on the accelerator. If she ran into a tree, or something, they would be free of her. 72,73,76....That would end all the worries they had. Maybe dying would even reverse Phoebe's spell. She had to at least try, didn't she? 80,84... That's it, all she has to do is crash. The impact alone would kill her. But was she brave enough? "Only one way to find out," she screamed wildly, spotting the perfect tree. 87,89,91...  
  
"Piper, sweetie, you aren't listening. Breathe with me...nice and easy," Prue said, taking a slow breath. This wasn't working, but what else could she do? Piper could barely hear her sister's pleas. What would happen after Phoebe was gone? Would she survive it? Her breathing got even faster, until she no longer could feel any oxygen coming in at all. Blackness clouded her vision. What if...what if...what if....  
  
"In a few more minutes," Paige told herself, "You'll be gone." The tree loomed ahead. All it would take was a quick turn of the wheel. She couldn't do it. It became a blur as she passed it. Silently, she cursed herself. Wimp! She couldn't even kill herself properly. "NO," she screamed at herself, "The next one." Checking her speedometer, she realized it had better be soon, or she would be pulled over for speeding. She laughed at herself. Who cared about speeding tickets, she wouldn't be alive to worry about them anyway! 95,96....  
  
"Prue should we get a nurse?," Phoebe asked, terrified.  
  
"No," Prue snapped, "I've calmed her out of this more than once." Why wasn't she responding? This was too much for her, too much for all of them. "Piper, damnit, look at me," she screamed. Finally, Piper focused on her. Prue heaved a sigh of relief and began the counting. "Breathe in 1...2...3...4 and out 2....3....4," she urged. Piper tried to steady her breathing to Prue's pace. 1...2...3...4  
  
Would her sisters want her dead? The thought echoed through Paige's head like a gunshot. Sure, they hadn't come after her when she stormed out, but that didn't mean they didn't care. 90,89,87... It didn't matter either way, did it? She had caused so much pain, so much grief. Even discounting the fact that Phoebe was dying, what good had she been to any of them? None, absolutely none. Steeling her resolve, she increased her speed. 90,95,97.... She needed to die, period.  
  
Piper gradually, calmed down, only to be hit with another terrifying thought. What if all of this was her fault? What if some stupid decision of hers had caused every agonizing ounce of this hurt? She couldn't handle that, wouldn't handle that. So much had happened, it killed her to think that it was her fault. "Shit," Prue muttered as her sister began breathing harder.   
  
"Prue, we should really call a nurse in her," Phoebe pressed. Prue glanced at her angrily.  
  
"No," she reiterated firmly, "Piper, don't let go. Come on honey, we can get through this."  
  
There it was. The perfect place for her death. All she had to do was swerve across the road and maintain this speed. She was going fast enough to ensure a quick, relatively painless death. A few more seconds...98,99...100. Wait. This couldn't be right. If she died, she had just abandoned them all. She couldn't live with that, couldn't leave THEM to live with that. 94,90,88... What had she been thinking?  
  
"That's it, honey. Breathe slowly...come on, you're doing great," Prue encouraged, smiling her relief. Piper felt instant relief from the flames in her chest as she drug in long, shaky breaths. "See, Phoebe, I told you we could do this," Prue said, turning around to smile at her sister. Phoebe smiled back, weakly. That had scared her. Badly.  
  
"Oh God," Paige whispered, bringing her car to a slow stop on the road's shoulder. Nausea swept through her, making her scramble out of the car. After a few moments, she opened the passenger side door and leaned across the seat, opening the dash box. Feeling around, she grabbed the cell phone. She needed to talk to Glenn...or someone, anyone for that matter. When she glanced at the phone, she realized there wasn't enough battery power to make a call. Tears slid down her cheeks in rivers. She had almost killed herself. She had almost rammed her car into a tree, and she couldn't even get a hold of someone afterwards. "Leo!," she screamed, her voice thick with emotion. The tears came faster, pouring down her cheeks. Where was he? "Leo!," she repeated tearfully, feeling herself coming apart.  
  
AN: I'm sorry if this was a little confusing, I write what comes to me. I'm still hatin the chapters, but hey, y'all seem to enjoy them! :) 


	9. Story

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Any suggestion you guys have on makin' this better is OK by me!!!  
SnOwBuNnY: You did not say you felt sorry for Phoebe...wow...that's a task. I am good! lolol j/k thanks for the compliment!  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Nope, I won't be killing Paige off today...fear not. I'm glad you still love the story  
Lara-Beth: Don't worry, as long as someone reviews, I'm going to finish the story. That isn't a problem! I think that if people take the time to read and review, then I can take the time to thank them! I'll give the characters hugs for ya. ;) specially Piper. Thank you soooo much for your compliments, they really encourage me!   
Piper Halliwell-Turner: welcome to the story! About Phoebe dying..well, you'll have to fine out for yourself!  
Ethelion: Welcome to the story as well! Thanks for your encouragement, I am sooo happy you enjoyed reading.  
Rea: I appreciate your reviews! I triple-y appreciate you taking the time to review every chapter! You are awesome! OH, and I'm not evil..much.  
Starring Piper: *glares at comp* grrr, I can't believe your reviews weren't showing up. That's just...mean. Well, I'm glad you're still reading, I was getting worried there for a minute. I can't lose my most loyal reviewer! I did intend it to seem as though they were connected somehow...to emphasize the sisterly bond. You noticed!! :D I hope I didn't cause any permanent damage, what with you holding your breath and all...lol thanks for reading and reviewing!!!! It's really, really, really encouraging.  
Read on, people, read on...  
  
Finally, after five minutes of Paige's hoarse calls, Leo orbed in beside her. "Paige...the Elders told me you were about to...about to do something really foolish," he commented the moment her materialized. Paige only sobbed harder, disbelief turning into horror as she thought about what she had almost done. "Hey...It's alright. You're OK," Leo comforted, wrapping her in a hug, resting his chin on her head. Paige took a few shuddering breaths before pulling away, wiping sheepishly at her tears.  
  
"I don't know what I was thinking," she said quietly, "It's just...Well, Phoebe's mad at me, and she has a right to be...Then, I left and no one followed me and I guess I just lost it." Leo tried to make sense of her rushed words, but had little luck.  
  
"Why don't you start from the beginning," he suggested, barely hiding an amused smile. Paige sighed heavily. She really didn't feel like remembering, but she had called him, he deserved to know why.  
  
"I'm not really sure how we started fighting," she started, shaking her head. A look of confusion from Leo had her backtracking already. "Me and Phoebe," she clarified quickly. Leo nodded, indicating she could go on. "Anyways, the fight got pretty heated...she told me to quit whining or leave her out of it. So I walked out...," she explained, tears springing to her eyes. "No one came...they didn't even try to stop me, but I was so mad I didn't really care at first. I started driving...and I lost it. I was going close to a hundred miles and I wanted to run myself into a tree. I wanted to die so they didn't have to deal with me," she finished brokenly. Leo digested her story for a minute, gauging her reaction to several things he had to say.  
  
"Why did you stop?," he tried gently. Paige glanced up, surprised, before realizing there wasn't malice in the question, only curiosity.  
  
"I wasn't going to, but then I thought about what I would be doing to them if I killed myself. I didn't want to abandon them...not like my parents did me," she answered. Anger built inside of her, but not at them, at herself. How could she be so selfish?  
  
"You didn't, that's what you have to remember. You didn't abandon them Paige, you stopped," Leo soothed quietly. Paige nodded and wiped away a few stray tears.   
  
"Take me home?," she implored, "I don't think I can do it...I'm too tired." Leo nodded, and swept both away in flashing blue lights.  
  
"We should have gone after her," Piper insisted. Prue handed her a glass of water, which Piper took gratefully.  
  
"Hush, just drink this and don't worry about it right now," she ordered. She was still mad at Paige, but the ordeal with Piper had cooled her temper drastically.  
  
"She's right Prue," Phoebe said guiltily, "We should have. Who knows what she's doing now." Prue shot her a warning glance hot enough to make her draw back and close her mouth.  
  
"We'll worry about it later," Prue growled through clenched teeth.  
  
"No," Piper said firmly, "We'll worry about it now." Prue raised her eyebrows, before patting Piper's hand in an attempt to placate her.  
  
"Calm down, I'll take care of it," she offered. Piper wasn't convinced.  
  
"Don't use that tone with me!," she snapped, and at Prue's obviously mystified look, explained, "The one that you use for crazy, feeble old women, or little children when they proposed something outlandish."   
  
"Alright, if it'll make you feel better, I'll call Leo and get him to sense her," Prue said, exasperated. Piper relaxed and smiled, satisfied. "Don't look so smug," Prue spat, only increasing Piper's smile. Before Prue could call for him, Leo was standing in front of them, a saddened Paige standing beside him.  
  
"Leo," Paige cried indignantly, "I asked you to take me home, not here."  
  
"Nice to see you too, Paige," Prue greeted sarcastically, already getting angry again.  
  
"Yeah, I bet," Paige snarled, turning to waltz right back out of the room.  
  
"Paige, wait, don't leave," Piper called. Paige turned slowly to face her.  
  
"Why not?," she demanded icily. Piper struggled not to get angry. "She's upset," she told herself sternly, "With good reason."  
  
"Because I...WE," she corrected, "want you to stay." Prue scoffed and received a glare from Piper.   
  
"She's right, Paige," Phoebe chimed in. Paige crossed her arms.  
  
"Excuse me if I don't look so believing, but didn't you just tell me to 'leave you out of it'?," Paige said, making her irritation clear. Phoebe had to take a minute to make herself stay cool.   
  
"I was upset, Paige, you should know I say stupid things when I get mad," she told her, receiving a rewarding smile from Paige.  
  
"Oh alright," Paige relented, sighing dramatically. Phoebe grinned.  
  
"Then we're good?," Piper interrupted. Paige nodded, along with Phoebe. At the same time, Paige decided not to tell her sisters about her little road trip. The less they had to worry about, the better.  
  
"Prue?," Piper inquired, giving her a pointed look. Prue shrugged.  
  
"Sure," she answered half-heartedly. Piper rolled her eyes. Prue was such a drama queen. (AN: to all Prue fans (I'm one too!) I mean that in the nicest way possible!)  
  
"OK, well, sorry for cutting this short, but I'm in desperate need of a hug from my wonderful boyfriend," Paige said almost too cheerfully.   
  
"Can you do it yourself? Because I'm in desperate need of a hug from my wife," Leo teased. Paige nodded, and quickly orbed out before anyone could ask any questions.  
  
"Come here, you," Piper beckoned, pulling him into a crushing embrace. Leo hugged her back just as fiercely, then drew back to kiss her.   
  
"Disgusting isn't it Prue?," Phoebe joked. Prue smiled distractedly. Why did she all of a sudden dislike Paige? What was happening to her?  
  
"I love you," Piper whispered, still reveling in the warmth of his kiss.  
  
"I love you too," Leo whispered back, and kissed her once more, before orbing out with the intent of checking on Paige.  
  
"I hate it when he does that," Piper ranted, stalking over to sit beside Phoebe. Phoebe laughed, annoying her.  
  
"You know, it would be nice to get some sympathy from you," she complained teasingly.  
  
"I'm just ever so sorry," Phoebe said, anything but sympathy seasoning her tone. Piper rolled her eyes, tapping her playfully on the forehead. "At least she still has her attitude," Piper thought to herself. 


	10. The Wrath of Prue

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Any suggestion you guys have on makin' this better is OK by me!!!  
SnOwBuNnY: I'm updating!! Happy? Thanks for the review  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Nope, I won't be killing Paige off today...fear not. I'm glad you still love the story  
Lara-Beth: Well, I'm glad you are so happy I'll finish the story. lol. How come I wasn't invited to the tea party with the moon? ;)   
Kristen't Paige: Hey, thanks for reviewing. I doubt I'll be going to any banquet, but we'll see..  
HalliwellGirls: I got a little anxious when you didn't review...I'm glad to see you back. As always, thank you sooo much for you wonderful compliments!!!!  
Read on, people, read on...  
  
Piper awoke bright and early to the loud sounds of Phoebe protesting. Groaning, she sat back and looked around. Had she honestly slept on the floor? Well, sort of on the floor. Her knees were resting on the floor, and her head on Phoebe's bed. She winced, struggling to make her legs cooperate.  
  
"I really don't think it is necessary for you to keep taking blood! I mean, come on, you must have at least two liters of it already, just floating around here waiting for you to run tests," Phoebe argued, once again avoiding the nurse, who held a needle.  
  
"Ms. Halliwell, it is the doctor's order. If you just sit still, it will be over in a few seconds," the nurse answered in an artificially calm voice. Phoebe sighed dramatically, stilling, then jumped when the needle entered her skin. Smiling, the nurse gently wiped an alcohol pad on her arm, then taped a wad of gauze over the barely bleeding spot.  
  
"If you say 'See, that wasn't so bad, was it?' lady, you're going to be missing a limb when you walk out of here," Phoebe said with a cheerful smile. Taken aback, the nurse stayed silent and hurriedly left the room.  
  
"Phoebe," Piper scolded, "She was only doing her job." Phoebe glanced at her, raising her eyebrows in a distinctively sarcastic expression.  
  
"Her 'job' will leave bruises and holes in my body for weeks," she declared dryly. Piper laughed at her sister's exaggeration.  
  
"Speaking of that, what are we going to do when they find out that the blood they took from Paige turns out to be totally different from the blood they took from you?," Prue asked, catching the last part of Phoebe's conversation with the nurse.  
  
"I thought you were sleeping," Phoebe commented.  
  
"A little slow today are we?," Prue wondered, recieving a glare from Phoebe.  
  
"I don't know Prue. They didn't seem to notice that the patient sort of switched on them, hopefully that goes for blood as well," Piper answered her earlier question, cutting in before a fight started. Prue was about to toss out a saucy argument about how hopefully wasn't really a good answer when Doctor Stephens walked in.  
  
"Morning Ms. Halliwell," he greeted. Phoebe grumbled a hello. "Ah, the nurse told me you were a bit cranky this morning," he said, laughing, "I have some news that might cheer you up some. The blood Nurse Raleigh took from you was the last of our torures for today. You are free to go." He turned his attention on Prue, who seemed to him the most in charge. "If you'll just fill out some paperwork for me," he offered. She quickly stood up and followed him out.  
  
"Hear that, sis, we are getting OUT of this wretched place," Piper exclaimed, tossing her some clothes. Phoebe scrambled out of bed and into the small bathroom adjoined to the room. Piper stretched her aching muscles leisurely. A few minutes later had them all walking towards the exit.  
  
"Uh, Prue," Piper started, "If Paige took the car when she left, then had Leo orb her back here, where would that leave the car?" Prue swore softly. That girl was so irresponsible!  
  
"I guess we need to call Leo," Phoebe offered, "Leo." Leo orbed in beside them, causing Piper to hit both her husband and her sister.   
  
"A little discretion," she reprimanded.  
  
"Sorry," they both said in unison.  
  
"Leo, Paige,being the thoughtless person that she is, left us here, stranded, without a way to go home. Can you orb us to our car?," Prue asked, exasperated. Piper and Phoebe both glanced at her, suprised at the acidity in her words.  
  
"Sure," Leo agreed, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other in Piper's hand. Phoebe grabbed Piper's hand they were all swept up and away.  
  
"Leo!," Piper yelled in annoyance, "I thought I told you discretion," Leo shrugged. "Just get in the car," she ordered, hitting him for the second time that day.  
  
Glenn leaned over Paige's sleeping form and just stared at her for a minute. She was so perfect for him. Gently, he lowered himself and kissed her. Paige opened her eyes, then shut them again, soaking in the feeling of his lips caressing hers. After what seemed like a lifetime, he forced himself to pull away. "Morning sunshine," he whispered, content. Paige smiled up at him. "Morning," she answered, pulling him down for another kiss. It ended abruptly when they heard a door slam.  
  
"Paige," Prue called tersely. Groaning, Paige sat up with some effort and made her way to the door.  
  
"You coming?," she asked. Glenn lay back, his hands behind his head.  
  
"And face the wrath of your sister? I don't think so," he tossed back.  
  
"You noticed, too. I was thinking she didn't sound very happy," she said over her shoulder, then met her brooding sister in the hallway.  
  
"Do you realise that while you were here, sleeping apparently," Prue ranted, "We were stranded at the hospital because someone carelessly left the car in a ditch?"   
  
"You obviously got home fine," Paige pointed out. Prue struggled to keep her anger to a dull yelling. As opposed to murdering her sister...  
  
"Yes, but we had to call Leo to take us to our car," Prue growled.  
  
"Sorry," Paige tried. Boy, was Prue in a mood!  
  
"Sorry really doesn't cut it," she said, preparing to let her have it.  
  
"Prue, come on, it was a mistake. She was upset," Piper interrupted. Prue swung her anger from Paige to Piper with a turn of her head.  
  
"Yeah, because she was being a whiny child. Phoebe was upset too, did you see her leaving our car on the side of the road?," she demanded testily. Paige took advantage of her freedom and snuck back into her room, closing the door resolutely.  
  
"No, I didn't. You know, for someone who is supposed to be the older, more mature one, you sure are acting like a spoiled brat," Piper threw back.  
  
"Well, while you guys are arguing, I'm going to go say hi to the sister you just verbally assaulted," Phoebe told them, storming into Paige's room.  
  
"Phoebe, hey," Paige greeted, "What has Prue in such a lovely mood this morning?" Phoebe smiled.  
  
"She's always this sweet, or didn't you know?," she answered, eliciting a smile from Paige.  
  
"I really am sorry about the car...I wasn't thinking," Paige apologized. Phoebe hugged her.  
  
"That's fine. You were just upset...perfectly understandable," Phoebe said.   
  
"It isn't understandable to Prue," Paige muttered unhappily.  
  
"I'm going to go shower," Glenn interjected, leaning down to kiss Paige on the cheek.  
  
"OK, sweetie," she answered softly. Phoebe waited until he left the room to comment."  
  
"He's a keeper."  
  
"Oh yeah," Paige agreed.  
  
"Well, what do you say we go and break up the war out there?," Phoebe asked, motioning towards the door. Paige reluctantly followed her sister back into the hallway. Looking around, they saw no one.  
  
"I guess they decided enough was enough," Phoebe said, puzzled.  
  
"We can only hope," Paige replied. Laughing, Phoebe threw an arm over Paige's shoulder.  
  
"Come on, I'm starving, let's go get Piper to make us breakfast," she said, leading Paige down the staircase.  
  
AN: Alright, what'd you think? Was it OK? I'm really starting to worry, I haven't liked any chapters since like chapter 4. :S Hope y'all enjoyed it, though!!! 


	11. The Wrath of Piper & Paige

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Any suggestion you guys have on makin' this better is OK by me!!!  
Lara-Beth: I'm on the top of your list???? *cries* That is sooooo sweet. And thank you for recommending me to your friend, the moon!!! Thanks for the flowers and the cheese. You're the best! :):):)  
Kristen's Paige: You know you're a life saver, right? luv ya!  
HalliwellGirls: I hate those darn finals...we have them soon too, I think. :( I'm just happy to see your great reviews!!! :D You're awesome  
Rea: LOLOL, I can't just give the disease back to Paige, I have to have some plausible reason...Thanks for your reviews, I'm always glad to see you are reading! Thanks for staying with this story!  
Charmedrockz: No, he's not, in my earlier story, The End I vanquished him...this series is kind of a spin off..a lot different from the real charmed. Thanks for reviewing!!! Read on, people, read on...  
  
Phoebe and Paige were 'cheerfully' greeted by a very angry Piper, who happened to be slamming things around the kitchen in a manner that did not bode well for innocent bystanders. "OK," Phoebe commented, "I see now is not a good time for you."  
  
"Meet Phoebe, the Queen of understatement," Paige muttered. Phoebe elbowed her in the ribs. "What?," Paige asked, surprised.  
  
"Never mind," Phoebe answered, turning her attention back to the hellcat in the kitchen, "Piper, sweetie, it doesn't matter how hard you try, you are never going to be able to pry open that can with your bare hands." Paige choked back a laugh as Piper threw down the can of peaches.  
  
"We don't have any fresh, and I wanted them to go with our breakfast," Piper shot back, "Our can opener is in a very real danger of being either burned or stomped into a somewhat peaceful death and the oven apparently wants to be next." Phoebe chuckled, walking over to the stove and turning a knob.  
  
"Why the stove? It works," Phoebe pointed out, seeing the red light come on. She quickly switched it back to off.  
  
"I know it works," Piper sneered, "But it wasn't getting hot fast enough." At this, Paige could no longer hold back her laughter.  
  
"Boy, Prue must have really pushed some buttons today. You are acting like a madman...um, woman," Paige declared, still laughing.  
  
"As funny as this probably is to you, I do not see anything to laugh about," Piper exclaimed, glaring daggers at her, "Besides, unless you want to make your own breakfast, and we all know that you make a very sorry excuse for well, whatever it was that you made the one time I let you in the kitchen, then I suggest you stop giggling and leave me alone."   
  
"It was an omelet, and I happen to be very good at making them!," Paige argued before being forcefully dragged out of the kitchen by Phoebe.  
  
"It is so not a good idea to challenge her when she's that mad," Phoebe warned when they were out of throwing range.  
  
"How mad is 'that mad'?," Paige asked, grinning.  
  
"Well, when she resorts to threatening the lives of her kitchen appliances, I'd have to say she's a bomb just waiting to go off on some poor unsuspecting sister," Phoebe answered, glancing back at the kitchen door.  
  
"Oh," Paige said, eyes widening in an obviously surprised expression. Prue stalked in at the end of their conversation, looking even angrier than Piper had.  
  
"Prue, nice to see you," Phoebe greeted cautiously. Prue narrowed her eyes. "That's not a good sign," Phoebe whispered. Paige crossed her arms, suddenly in the mood for a fight.  
  
"How anyone can be cheerful, Phoebe, is beyond me," Prue growled, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some responsibilities I have to take care of."  
  
"Ohhh, I get it," Paige said smiling sinisterly, "Since I have such a lack of responsibility, you have to make sure and make up for that by being a 'responsible' bitch." Phoebe's jaw dropped. Had she really just gone there?  
  
"Actually," Prue clarified coldly, "I was just showing you what it is like to be responsible, in case you, you know, wanted to actually learn something."  
  
"Uh, guys, as fun as this conversation is getting," Phoebe broke in, "Don't you think we have other things to do?"  
  
"You are absolutely right, Phoebe, anything has got to be better than this. By the way, Prue, if I wanted to learn something, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be how to walk with something shoved up my ass," Paige tossed over her shoulder, walking out of the living room.  
  
"Oh, she did not just say that," Prue cried indignantly, glaring at her back.  
  
"Actually, Prue, I think she did," Phoebe answered, patting her shoulder. Quickly putting distance between her and her older sister in case Prue decided to hit her, she followed Paige.  
  
"Real funny," Prue shot back, throwing up her hands. What was with people today? I mean, first Piper, then Paige, now Phoebe has an attitude! What a great day this was turning out to be.  
  
"Paige, I just want to say, for the record, you are totally my hero," Phoebe said, racing up the stairs to catch up with her. Smiling, Paige turned around to face her.  
  
"Why is that?," she asked coolly.  
  
"Because, my whole life I have always wanted to say something like that...no, not something like that, exactly that, to her, and I've always been too chicken. Therefore, since you actually DID say it, you are now my hero," Phoebe explained, grinning.  
  
"You mean, you've never stood up to her?," Paige asked, more than a little surprised.  
  
"No, I have, just never in quite that way," Phoebe answered.  
  
"As your hero, I just want to say that you are my hero too, Phoebs," Paige told her, hugging her impulsively.  
  
"Why on earth would I be yours?," Phoebe inquired, slightly confused.  
  
"You are always on my side, Phoebe. I've never had that. I love you for it," Paige answered quietly. Phoebe tightened her embrace.  
  
"Thanks, honey, I needed to hear that," she whispered.  
  
"OK," Paige said, pulling away and wiping a few tears from her cheeks, "What's the plan for today?" Phoebe smiled.  
  
"I was thinking we could get into our most comfy clothes and watch movies and eat all day," she suggested.  
  
"That is a perfect idea, Phoebe, exactly what we need," Paige agreed, "Although I am in my pajamas, and nothing is more comfortable than that, but you on the other hand..."  
  
"Say no more, give me five minutes to change and we can start our pampered laziness," Phoebe said, rushing down the hall.  
  
"I like how you think," Paige called back, mentally going over the list of all the very essential junk foods they would be needing.  
  
Ten minutes later had them piled on the couch with cookies, popcorn, chips of all kinds, and soft drinks at hand. "You know," Phoebe commented past a mouthful of popcorn with her eyes still fixed on the television screen, which was displaying Kill It Before It Dies (AN: surprise, surprise), "I do believe I am a genius." Paige laughed, hitting her playfully on the leg.  
  
"Better watch out, you might get as arrogant as Prue," Paige cautioned, getting a giggle from Phoebe.  
  
"Yeah," a voice agreed, "and who wants that?"  
  
"Piper, would you like to join us in being couch potatoes?," Phoebe offered, scooting over to make room for her.  
  
"Don't mind if I do," Piper accepted, "AND, I brought breakfast." Scrambling up, Paige and Phoebe lunged for the tray she had in her hands.  
  
"You seriously made chocolate chip muffins?," Phoebe squealed, grabbing one in each hand.  
  
"I seriously did, I know they are your favorite," Piper laughed.  
  
"You're right, Phoebe, you ARE a genius! So, apparently, is Piper," Paige declared, taking a bite of the muffing she had in her hand. Piper and Phoebe laughed harder. Piper set the tray down on the coffee table and sat in between them, laying her head on Phoebe's shoulder and her legs across Paige's lap.  
  
"So what are we watching?," she asked, comfortable.  
  
"Kill It Before It Dies, what else?," Phoebe demanded, looking shocked at Piper. What other movie was there to see?  
  
"Right, I should have known," Piper said, chuckling. Only Phoebe could watch that movie a million times and still love every word. At least, she thought only Phoebe. Looking at Paige's entranced expression, she suddenly doubted that.  
  
"This is the best feeling I've had in a long time," Paige said, startling them. No one had said anything for a while.  
  
"What feeling is that?," Piper asked, snuggling closer to her.  
  
"Love," Paige answered simply, smiling. Phoebe reached over to squeeze her hand; allowing that to soak in. "She's right, this is the best," Phoebe thought to herself sleepily, then let her attention be pulled into her favorite movie once again  
  
AN: OK, I have to admit, this is a far cry from my usual style, but I really enjoyed writing it. I love saucy sarcastic comments! Even more so, I love sisterly bonding moments. I hope you do as much as I do!!!! review, please.  
  
Oh, and just for the record, Rea, SOME people care what I think...as crazy as that makes them! lolol 


	12. Starring's AN

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
First of all, before anyone gets confused, this is just a really long AN to Starring Piper, so you don't have to read if you don't want to!!!!! Sorry to get your hopes up, and since you probably thought this was another update, I'll update really soon to make up for it!  
  
First my reviews don't show up at all, then my last review says it's for chapter one...sigh. I really do seem to be having problems don't I? As you probably guessed, the last review was not meant to be for chapter one, it was meant to be for chapter nine. And since I wasn't mentioned in the tingy. I guess that my review didn't show until after you updated...unless you just stopped liking me. :( Hopefully that's not the case. Anywas, on to the actual review: I love this story! How can you say that you haven't liked any of the chapters since chapter four?! I think they are great! Though I am quite concerned about Prue here...what is going on with her? She just seems to be getting bitchier and bitchier. How did the fight end between her and Piper? I am dying to find out...please update soon! (You've been doing a great job of that, by the way.) Prety please? I'll double your candy...   
  
OK, How can you say that I could stop liking you???? AHHHHHH, that could never happen. You're my bestest reviewer, you have been reading my stories for a really long time. I don't want you thinking that!!!! I don't know what's up with fanfiction, but I'm getting mad cuz they are screwing up the reviewing....I just got the review for chapter 9, 10, and then 10 again. Today May...um, 9th. So, since I haven't had the time to thank you properly, I'll do it in you own special chapter! Starring, I really really appreciate all of you encouraging comments, you're regular reviews, and the fact that you've been with me since my writing well...sucked. lol Even I have to admit, it IS getting better, regardless of the fact that I have been on a slow downward spiral with A Life Cut Short. I'm not really sure what it is, but I'm having a hard time getting back in my "groove". Although, I really enjoyed writing chapter 11 (yes, it's up!!!) and I'm hoping this will turn around my continuous fighting with writer's block.  
  
Now, about what's wrong with Prue, that is a very good question. One in which I promise to answer in good time, but first, I have to come up with the perfect way to put it. Be patient, I promise it will come. You will notice even more..well, bitchiness in chapter eleven, cuz she gets pretty bad. Now, since my inspiration counts on reviews, including and especially yours, I am really really glad you have been reviewing. Since you have been with me so long, I want you to email me, then I am going to do something I normally wouldn't do...I'm going to give you my ideas for the end of this story, and see what you think!!!! That is, if you want to find out...or you can wait with the rest of my great reviewers, either way, it is up to you and I'll be happy. OK, since I've been rambling on and on, I'll be quiet. Thank you again for all your support. It is very much appreciated and needed. Don't let me catch you saying that I don't like you...got it? OK, For now, I'm going.  
  
Love ya!!!!  
Charmed Writer 


	13. It all comes out

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: I want to apologize for any confusion that chapter/AN 12 caused. Here's your update!  
Lara-Beth: You are a sweetheart. Thank you sooooo much!!!!!! You and I would get along perfectly, you know, because I have this friend...This friend would love to meet the moon, but she's very shy. She's a star, and her name is...what else? Star. So...thanks for everything! Tell the moon me and Star said hey! :)  
Kristen's Paige: I'm glad you 'absolutely loved it'! Keep reading!  
HalliwellGirls: I knew you'd like the bonding thing!!!! Btw, that story was completely awesome....thought you should know...again. lol. It was soo much fun writing what I did for Paige...lol, Prue definitely has something to think about!  
Starring Piper: YAY, it's working!!!! :) I know, sister bonding is the bestest! *grins*  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Welcome back!!!!! I misseded you! :) lol, thanks for reviewing!  
Rea: you DO care!!! *smiles* WOO-HOO!!!! lol, don't worry I am insane as well!  
  
"OK, Paige, truth or dare?," Phoebe demanded, taking a sip of the Dr. Pepper in her hand (Disclaimer: I don't own Dr. Pepper! I know, a sad fact, but a true one, nonetheless.). Paige sighed dramatically, stalling as she grabbed a handful of chips and stuffed them in her mouth.  
  
"Truth," she answered sullenly after swallowing the last of the chips. Phoebe grinned. She had known that would be the answer, and had the perfect question.  
  
"Who's your favorite sister?," she asked, leaning in, very interested. Piper mirrored Phoebe's actions, leaning in and putting her hands on the floor in front of her to keep her balance.  
  
"No fair," Paige complained, "I can't answer that." Phoebe laughed, and sat back.  
  
"You have to," she challenged. Paige frowned, prolonging her sisters' agony.  
  
"Fine. Then all of you, because I love you all the best," she answered finally, dodging the hand flying at her shoulder.  
  
"That is NOT a good answer," Phoebe whined, "But I guess I'll accept it." Laughing, Paige threw a chip at her. Phoebe skillfully caught it with her mouth, crunching down loudly.  
  
"My turn," Paige said triumphantly, cracking her knuckles, "Let's see. Who will I pick for my victim?" Phoebe playfully hid behind Piper, who reached back and hit her on the head.  
  
"No hiding, Phoebe," Piper scolded as Phoebe moved from behind her.  
  
"Piper," Paige called out, "Truth or Dare?" Piper groaned. Why her?  
  
"Truth," she answered firmly, steeling herself for the upcoming question.  
  
"What are you guys doing?," came the question, but not from Paige. The three looked up into the angry face of their older sister.  
  
"What does it look like?," Paige countered, motioning towards her sisters and the junk food.  
  
"It looks like a mess," Prue answered hotly, crossing her arms. Paige rolled her eyes.  
  
"Come on, Prue, I know you want to join us," Piper teased, trying to lighten the mood and forgetting her earlier annoyance with Prue.  
  
"No, not really, but I would like to know why you are all sitting around in your pajamas doing nothing when there are a million things that need to be done," Prue said. irritation heavy in her tone and attitude. Paige jumped up, ready for a fight. What had gotten into Prue lately? She was acting like a spoiled child.  
  
"We are having fun," Paige shot back, narrowing her eyes, "You know, fun, as in NOT dull and boring." Prue glared at her, making her anger very well-known.  
  
"Prue," Phoebe interrupted, stopping any insults from coming out of Prue's mouth, "What is your problem?"   
  
"My problem, Phoebe, is that Paige is turning you all into lazy, irresponsible children," Prue accused, then realized how ridiculous she sounded. Laughing, she dropped out of the aggressive stance she'd been in.  
  
"There that's better," Phoebe praised, laughing, "Now, would you care to tell us what is really wrong?"  
  
"No," Prue answered simply, whirling around and walking away. She didn't want her sisters to see her fallen expression or the guilt in her eyes. How could she tell them that she blamed Paige for what was happening to Phoebe? In her mind, she knew it wasn't rational or fair, but her heart screamed against the newest sister, throwing accusations that she couldn't tell any of them about. This was her problem, she wasn't about to make it theirs too.  
  
"Prue, wait," Paige called from the bottom of the stairs. Prue stopped, midway up, and turned to face her. Paige looked up at her, sympathy and concern written all over her face.  
  
"I don't want to talk about this, Paige," Prue said, answering the unspoken questions. Paige shrugged as Prue began walking up the stairs and followed determinedly. She could be just as stubborn, if not more, than Prue.   
  
"What is it? Is it that you are upset about Phoebe? We all are, it's OK to talk about it," Paige told her, trailing after her, before getting a door slammed in her face.  
  
"Prue," she yelled, making sure it was loud enough to get through the barrier, "You have to tell me eventually, and until you do I'm going to stand out here and guess." Music blasted through the door. Paige smiled, Prue was as stubborn as she'd thought, but she was worse. Much worse.  
  
"OK, fine, if that's how you want it," Paige said, half to herself, then started beating on the door. Finally, just when Paige was ready to admit defeat, the music stopped and Prue's door flew open.  
  
"You really want to know what's wrong with me?," Prue screamed, pushing Paige into the far wall, "YOU ARE. You, with your stupid way of getting what you want." Paige stared, shocked as Prue continued. "You wanted to live. So bad that you manipulated my baby sister into switching your disease into her body," Prue accused coldly, with a look so fierce Paige subconsciously shrunk away from her. Paige felt tears build. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Betrayal and hurt battled for control over her emotions, but finally, when she could see no other way to handle it, anger took over completely. Rage poured into her as thick as blood, coursing through her veins with a savage speed.  
  
"That's sick, Prue. What, you can't find anything better to do than to blame me for something that is so obviously your fault. Or can't you hear? Remember, she said she wanted to be like you, that's why she did it. It had nothing to do with me at all! Don't you see, you set such a high 'example' that she felt she had to be like you. My God, it's hero worship here, and it makes me sick," Paige spat, her voice getting louder with every word. Prue slapped her, putting all of her anger and guilt into it. Paige's head hit the wall with a thud, then she turned her gaze back on Prue, anger leaping like flames in her eyes. Paige nearly hit her back. She even raised her hand up, fist clenched tightly, but something stopped her. She saw underneath the rage and accusations into Prue's real feelings. She saw fear. Such a deep-rooted fear that it cooled Paige's anger instantly.  
  
"What are you so afraid of?," Paige asked softly, reaching up to touch Prue's cheek. Prue was undone by that gentle, sweet action. Tears streaked her cheeks, and she closed her eyes against the emotions hitting her. She choked back a sob, her body crumpling under the weight of grief. Paige caught her carefully as Prue fell to the floor. Gently, she embraced her, feeling tears soak into her shirt, and drip onto her skin.  
  
"That you're right," Prue answered. Paige was confused for a second, then remembered her earlier question. Guilt turned her blood ice cold and strangled the air out of her lungs. What had she just done? Tightening her grip on Prue, she turned over the hateful words both had said in her mind. Why were they both blaming each other for this? They should be pulling together, not apart.  
  
"OK, if you guys are going to keep fighting, at least keep it to a dull roar," Piper said, walking up the stairs. She stopped short at the scene in front of her. Phoebe ran into her, unaware that she was going to stop.  
  
"Piper," Phoebe reprimanded, then stepped around her and stopped talking. The sight of seeing Prue so devastated shocked them both speechless. Paige glanced at them with tears in her eyes. No one spoke, just moved closer to wrap their arms around Prue, who just sobbed, releasing all of the emotions that had been building in her for weeks. The argument had only been the last straw, toppling the tower of events that had slammed into them all. Her sisters hugged her, feeling helpless, and felt their hearts breaking along with Prue's. After everything they had been through, they were losing one of their closest companions, and it was killing each of them in different ways. With Phoebe it was physical, with Prue it was her spirit, with Piper it was her heart, and with Paige it was a mixture of heart and soul. Regardless, none were sure how or if they would survive this crushing grief. It came down to one question, could they live without a sister? 


	14. Memory Lane

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: As always, all of you are awesome!  
Lara-Beth: Hey, you are always giving me the long, fantastic reviews! I really appreciate it, you brighten my day. Along with the moon! ;) Now, I am NOT a star, contrary to popular belief, I only like to write. I'm glad you think is good, though. That makes me very happy! *gives flowers* You are the best!  
HalliwellGirls: lol, as much as I'd love to make things happy, I'm not sure if I can. *snatches chocolate* :D lol, thanks for your review.  
Starring Piper: I am still reeling from the season finale. I can't believe what happened at the end....I cried and cried. It was just way too sad. I'm still in shock. It's good talking to you too.  
wAnNaBpIpEr: *Smiles* I wish I could write happy chapters all the time...but my mind won't let me. Thanks for the review.  
Rea: I'm not a dealer...lol. Hope you enjoy your "daily fix" lol.  
SnOwBuNnY: Welcome back, I've missed your reviews! Thanks for the compliments!  
Taya: Thank you so much for considering me good enough to write with you...that means a lot.   
Phoenix: Hiya, thanks for reviewing.  
  
When she had cried every last tear she had inside, Prue stayed in the loving comfort of her sisters' arms. Finally, she pulled away and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks, giving a short, embarrassed laugh. Paige searched her eyes and found that the fear she'd glimpsed earlier had moved to the front of Prue's expression, battling with guilt. "Paige, I am so sorry," she said quietly, tracing the outline of her face with one finger. Paige shook her head vehemently.  
  
"Don't apologize, sweetie. We both said things that we shouldn't have, but we got down to our true feelings, and that is what counts," Paige responded, pulling Prue into a bone crushing hug. Phoebe and Piper exchanged puzzled looks.  
  
"Uh, guys, not to be nosy, but what exactly happened?," Phoebe asked, receiving unspoken encouragement from Piper. Prue pulled away, laughing softly.  
  
"We just kind of stumbled on the fact that we both had...issues to deal with," Prue answered slowly. Paige nodded in agreement. Her explanation didn't exactly explain anything to either Phoebe or Piper, but they kept silent about it.   
  
"Hey, you guys, tell me a story about when you were kids," Paige said suddenly, surprising everyone. Piper smiled faintly, reaching back in her memory for a good story.  
  
"I guess I could tell you about the time..." Piper started, losing herself in the memory.  
  
~Flashback~  
"Prue," a four year old Phoebe demanded hotly, "Piper stole Terrence." Piper jumped up, hiding the stuffed monkey behind her back quickly.  
  
"Oh, I did not," she denied, sticking her tongue out at her younger sister, "What would I want with that dumb old thing anyway?" Phoebe stamped her foot childishly, glaring and sticking her tongue out at Piper fiercely.  
  
"Terrence is NOT dumb," she shouted, running at Piper. Piper sidestepped her, causing Phoebe to run into the bed behind her. In an effort to stop her from crying, Piper dropped down beside her and hugged her, the forgotten Terrence still clenched in one hand. Prue crossed over to Piper and Phoebe, stomping her feet to show her anger.  
  
"Piper," she scolded, ripping the stuffed toy from her hand, "You are not supposed to be stealing from our baby sister." Piper's eyes welled up with big tears, one rolling down her cheek. Prue, a sucker for tears, sighed and knelt down in front of her, offering the monkey to her as an apology. Still sullen, Piper yanked the toy from her and launched it across the room with all her might. Unfortunately, it landed with a crash along with the lamp in its path. Footsteps were heard, pounding up the stairs, and Piper shrank back and huddled next to Phoebe fearfully.  
  
"Prue, I didn't mean to," Piper whimpered, reaching out and clinging to Prue's hand tightly. Prue nodded sympathetically, making her decision instantly.  
  
"What happened in here?," Grams demanded, taking in the shattered glass. Piper began to cry harder, but Prue stood up bravely.  
  
"I got mad and threw Terrence. He hit the lamp and it broke," she lied, saving her sister from certain punishment. Grams folded her arms crossly, looking hard at Prue.  
  
"Are you sure that's what happened?," she asked softly. She could always tell when Prue was lying, and this was one of those times. She admired the protective tendencies Prue had towards both of her sisters, but punishment had to be doled out.  
  
"Yes, Grams," Prue answered, looking at her shoes.  
  
"Very well. Come with me," Grams said, sighing in mock disappointment. On the inside she was applauding Prue for sticking with her story, thus rescuing the culprit from getting in trouble. Prue looked back at Piper, putting on a brave face. Piper sniffled, wiping away the tears, and glanced at Prue with a sort of worshipping look.  
  
~End~  
  
Paige laughed, nudging Prue with her elbow. "You never changed, did you Prue?," she asked, grinning, "You still protect your sisters, even now."  
  
"Granted, you rescue us from worse things than one of Grams's punishments, but it's still the same principle," Piper chimed in. Phoebe observed quietly, enjoying the family moment. Even though she'd been young, she remembered that incident well.  
  
"Apparently I passed that on to you, Paige," Prue tossed back, smiling. Piper nodded her agreement.  
  
"Tell me something else," Paige asked. Piper glanced at each of her sisters, then at the floor they were sitting on.  
  
"First, let's pick a bedroom to sit in," she suggested, getting up, then reaching down to pull Phoebe up. Paige and Prue scrambled up and the four of them trooped into Prue's room, which was closest. They all piled on Prue's bed comfortably. Paige had her head on Piper's stomach, and Phoebe had her legs on top of Prue's. Each settled in, getting ready for a night of stories and laughter.  
  
"Alright, now, someone tell me another story. I want to know what I missed out on as a child," Paige demanded. This time Phoebe was the one to pull up a memory from the corners of her mind.  
  
"I remember when I was about twelve," Phoebe started, smiling at the memory.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"I'm home," Phoebe yelled, running into the manor, followed by Piper, then Prue. Halting suddenly, she whirled around, stopping her sisters dead in their tracks. "You will never guess what happened today," she whispered excitedly. Prue and Piper exchanged looks that said 'Do we really want to know?'. Phoebe waited, expecting them to immediately bombard her with questions. When they didn't she plowed into her story. "Gary Jenkins actually told Nathan, who told his girlfriend Sarah, who told her best friend, who told my best friend who told me," she said, rushing her words, then taking a deep breath, "that he liked me!" Prue burst out laughing, then stopped abruptly when Prue elbowed her.  
  
"That's great Phoebs," Piper said, pretending to be excited for her.  
  
"Prue doesn't think so," Phoebe complained. Piper glanced at her sister, shooting daggers at her, before smiling at Phoebe.  
  
"Sure she does. Don't you Prue," she asked, her tone warning.  
  
"Yeah, Phoebe, it's wonderful," Prue answered with an obvious lack of enthusiasm. Phoebe was thoroughly unconvinced.  
  
"See?," Piper soothed, putting an arm around Phoebe's shoulders.  
  
~End~  
  
"Prue wasn't as innocent and sweet as Piper made her out to be," Phoebe finished, "I was traumatized. I mean, my first major crush, and my big sister didn't care." Phoebe sighed heavily, remembering the betrayal.  
  
"You were traumatized?," Piper asked in disbelief, "What about ME? I had to listen to you whine about it for DAYS. I thought you would never get over it." Paige, who'd been fighting to hold back her laughter, burst into insane laughter, kicking her feet. Phoebe tackled Paige, tickling her, until Paige begged for mercy.  
  
"OK, OK, I shouldn't have laughed at your crush on who was he again...Gary Jenkins," Paige said breathlessly, smirking when she said the name. Phoebe pretended to pout, crossing her arms defensively.  
  
"Please," Piper pleaded, "Don't get her started." Silence settled over them. This time it was a comfortable silence, as each reminisced. Everyone except Paige, who was turning over newly discovered irony in her life. Paige had missed out on their childhood, making Phoebe the baby up until she came along. Now, Phoebe would miss out on their future and Paige would experience it. She couldn't push that thought from her mind, it kept creeping back up, stealing all her earlier laughter with its steady crawl into her thoughts. 


	15. Turn those frowns upside down

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: As always, all of you are awesome!  
Lara-Beth: Awww, I got flowers for BOTH of you, because you both are such wonderful reviewers. Thank you so much, you are soooooo sweet. I loves ya for it!!!!!! And, oh my gosh, you gave me sugar...oh, I'm going to be soo hyper now. *hands enough flowers for both* Thanks a whole bunches! *grin*  
HalliwellGirls: You talking about Paige? The series started when she came into their lives, read Grief and Rejection, that's where she came in.  
wAnNaBpIpEr: Aw, I'm glad I could make you happy. I don't mean to make you sad with my chapters, but it's a really sad thing that is happening. You can complain to me anytime, I'm welcome to any complaints you may have!  
Rea: I'm sorry, I won't laugh. Really, that's nice of you to say...  
SnOwBuNnY: I loved your review, thank you so much.  
Wotcha: Hey!!! You are back...you DID warn me that you wouldn't be reviewing so often, so I'm not holding it against you. Although I DO miss your reviews, I'm happy to get a couple every now and then too.  
  
The dark stormy weather marked the mood of the Halliwell house the next morning. Something about the restless sleep the previous night robbed them of the cheerfullness they'd been feeling and set them none too gently in the midst of near depression. Piper walked without entusiasm dowstairs to make coffee. She had a gnawing feeling that caffeine would be the only way for them all to survive the day. The familiar motions of brewing the coffee helped smooth some of the rough edges, but she still felt unhappy. Weighted was the perfect word for the crushing feeling. It felt as though something heavy were just sitting on her chest. The stark contrast of her feelings this morning and her feelings last night only hightened the feeling of sadness. Sighing, she stirred cream and sugar into her coffee, and lifted the cup to her lips. The aroma comforted her, oddly, as did the feeling of the warm, sweet liquid as it slid down her throat. Oh yeah, coffee was definitely their only lifeline.  
  
Paige walked in with a look that mirrored Piper's. Pained and dreary. With a nod of acknowledgement, she reached into the cabinet and pulled out her favorite mug. The smiling face staring at her just reminded her of how upset she was, so she put it back in its place and grabbed a pitch black one instead. Pouring her coffee, she noted that the blackness of her coffee matched the emotion she was experiencing, and instead of adding cream to its contents, she left it black and gulped it down. Piper watched her over her mug, taking in Paige's every motion. Though no actual words were spoken, each reached out subconciously to the other, longing for the comfort they had obtained the night before. None came, the only absorption was one of sadness, the kind that you felt in every piece of your broken heart. Piper closed her eyes, wishing she could send the pain away into a distant place. Unfortunately, in the Halliwell life the only kind of fairy tale endings they got were the twisted kind. Her thoughts turned to the scene she'd looked upon before creeping downstairs. The three most precious people in her life, sleeping peacefully and innocently, all pulling together for warmth, and also for the simple closeness. She had to blink rapidly to keep the tears from surfacing. Paige noticed, but decided to say nothing.  
  
Their attention was drawn to the door as Prue walked in, looking surprised that she hadn't been the first one up. Like Paige, she refrained from saying a word. She could tell this wasn't the mood for small talk and useless chatter, and she simply didn't feel up to the task of conversing. She grimaced, summing up everything in that one facial expression. It took her all of three seconds to have a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. The taste lingered in her mouth even as the black velvet beverage glided down her throat. With her senses more alert, she heard the soft padding of socked feet as Phoebe walked in. She ventured halfway in, and smiled warmly.  
  
"Good morning. Don't look so grim, it's another day and we are TOGETHER," she said, stretching her arms wide, "It is a great day."  
  
"Phoebe, I love you," Piper stated, laughing and running to give her a quick hug.  
  
"Me too," Paige agreed, embracing her tightly. Not one to be left out, Prue followed suit. Phoebe grinned as the air around them changed. Suddenly, everything was wonderful.  
  
"As great as that little speech was, Phoebe, if you had added something equally cheerful like 'Turn those frowns upside down' I would have been forced to hit you," Prue teased, taking another drink of her coffee.  
  
"Want some?," Paige asked, lifting her mug. Phoebe nodded, and Paige rushed to the cabinet and took out the Smiley mug and poured her some coffee. She didn't have to ask how Phoebe liked it, a fact that didn't escape either one of them.  
  
"I'm selling P3," Piper announced, making everyone pause. Paige nearly spit the mouthful of coffee she had out on the floor.  
  
"It just...isn't worth the time anymore. I've been neglecting it, and I know that it has been taken care of by my superhero husband, but I just don't want to worry about it anymore," Piper explained. They took a minute to digest it before anyone said anything.  
  
"I think it's best," Phoebe said, supporting her. Piper shot her a grateful look. She hadn't been sure how her sisters would take it, but Phoebe's vote of confidence helped a lot.  
  
"Piper, don't you think we need the money?," Prue asked, trying to carefully step around the reason they suddenly needed money.   
  
"I'll get another job. I need to be here more. With my family," Piper answered quietly. Prue sighed.  
  
"Alright, we'll both get jobs then," she said, supporting her decision in her own way.  
  
"Paige?," Piper asked, looking at the only one who hadn't said anything.  
  
"I love the idea. The name doesn't even fit anymore. There are FOUR of us," she said, chuckling softly. No one dared to ask for how long.   
  
"She's right, Piper. Let's dedicate today to finding another job, and working on selling the club," Prue said gamely. Piper consented, following her sister out of the room and listening to Prue ramble on about the 'many job opportunities they had' and how 'great it would be to get back into the real world'. Phoebe made a face, disliking the topic of careers.   
  
"Hey, Phoebe, while Prue is distracted with this, you want to plan her birthday bash?," Paige asked, grinning. Phoebe's eyes widened. In all the excitement, she almost forgotten. In two days, Prue would be turning 30. (AN: I have no idea how old she actually is, so I just took a guess! Hope you don't mind!!)  
  
"Yeah, we have to remind her of the old maid she's becoming," Phoebe replied. Paige only laughed, slapping her arm playfully.  
  
"I don't know about making her feel old, but we can discuss that upstairs," Paige said, racing out of the room and up the stairs with Phoebe at her heels.  
  
"Do you mind? Some of us are working, and you sound like a herd of elephants," Prue called after them. Phoebe and Paige knew that tone. It was All Business Prue Halliwell, complete with the attitude and lack of time for anyone who wasn't as focused as she.   
  
"Sorry," Paige called down, not really meaning it, but at least she'd attempted it. Prue grumbled a response, already back on track with Piper. Phoebe and Paige exchanged looks, both thinking that their sister was far too dull. 


	16. Gifts

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: OH my gosh, I made past 100 reviews! Wow, that is the first time EVER for me!!!! I'm sorry I made you all wait so long, but writer's block is hard to beat. Special thanks to:  
  
Lara-Beth: Your reviews are so sweet. *cries* Really, thank you so much. You are so encouraging...I can't thank you enough. You gave me review #100!!! *gives every gift imaginable and celebrates*  
  
HalliwellGirls: I know, she shouldn't have to sell P3. but with so much happening she needs something else...and no, it wouldn't take more time, because she isn't going to be the owner of the place she works. Owning something takes more time than simply working there.  
  
wAnNaBpIpEr: When I started last chapter, I was worried that you wouldn't like it, cuz it wasn't very happy. but you DID!! *grins* thank you!  
  
Rea: I know, I'm sorry. I'll do better.  
  
SnOwBuNnY: Last chapter was far from my fave as well. Thanks for still reviewing.  
  
Starring Piper: Hey! Thank you soooooo much!!! *glares at ff.net* I'm sorry your reviews keep not showing up. Thanks for taking the time to re-post them. You are the bestest reviewer anyone could ask for. FANTASTIC CHAPTER ON OLD HABITS DIE HARD. lol, guess I already said that...Oh, and thanks for your fantastic ideas. Writer's block would have overcome me if it hadn't been for you.   
  
Everybody say: Thank you Starring Piper!!  
  
Prue made her way downstairs, turning over every possibility she could think of. Maybe they would have birthday cake for breakfast. Her mouth watered at the thought of one Piper's triple layered fudge cakes. They could ask her to take the day off, an offer she'd refuse, but enjoy nonetheless. Grinning, she walked into the kitchen, expecting cheerful calls of 'Happy Birthday'. What she got were three very dull, tired sisters half asleep in their own little worlds. Disguising her disappointment with a yawn, she walked over to the half empty pot of coffee.   
  
"Morning," she muttered, pouring the coffee into the mug in hand. She got grumbled replies. Not wanting to reveal how upset she was, she quickly downed her coffee and hurried to her new job. She would be a secretary for some magazine. Not the most glamorous job, but it was money. It was her first day, and she already dreaded.  
  
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige waited until they heard the Manor door click shut before they burst into laughter.  
  
"Think she felt bad?," Phoebe asked, feeling a little guilty.  
  
"She'll get over it when she sees what we have in store for her," Paige assured her, grinning happily. Phoebe and Piper returned her enthusiastic smile, and quickly began the rest of the planning. Their goal was to be done by noon, so that they could go shopping for the perfect family gift for their oldest sister.   
  
A few hours later had them completely done with the preparations, and the shopping. Piper sat back and kicked off her shoes.  
  
"She better really, REALLY love us after all this," Paige complained, plopping down next to Piper with a groan. Piper patted her leg and smiled.  
  
"She will...or she dies," she joked, getting laughs from both her sisters.  
  
"OK, I want to see the gifts you guys got for her," Phoebe said, wiggling her way in between them, shopping bags in hand. Paige moved over a little, allowing her to slide in. No one moved to get anything.  
  
"I didn't buy it today," Paige and Piper both said in unison, then laughed at each other.  
  
"Wait, what? You still haven't gotten..." Phoebe started, then was stopped by a wave of Piper's hand.  
  
"I got it for her a while back, and I've been working on it. With everything that happened, I forgot about it. Then, when you guys told me about the surprise party, I remembered. Hold on, let me go get it," she explained, jumping off the couch and rushing up the stairs.  
  
"And mine I have finished. I did in between preparations for the big bash," Paige said, getting up and following Piper. Phoebe smiled, and pulled out her gift. It was in a small box. Lifting the lid, she traced the jewelry with her finger. It was a little heart locket, the kind you can put pictures in. She'd put a picture of her as a baby on one side, and Prue as an infant on the other. On the back she'd had engraved a few simple but meaningful words. Even when I'm gone...I'm here. She lightly traced the words, then quickly closed the box as her sisters stampeded downstairs.  
  
"You go first, Paige," Piper ordered as they came into the living room. Paige agreed with a nod.  
  
"Here it is," she said, holding up a painting. Both Phoebe and Piper gaped, impressed by the art. In it, were all four of them, smiling and comfortable with each other. Prue, as always, had that protective look about her, as she looked at the rest of them. Piper had her arms around both Paige and Phoebe, and Phoebe was reaching out to grab Paige's hand. It was the perfect picture of them.  
  
"Paige, how did you?," Piper asked, still shocked. Paige grinned, blushing a little.  
  
"I did it myself, and I spent pretty much two whole nights on it. Do you think she'll like it?," she asked, uncertain. Phoebe ran over and hugged her, making Paige stumble back a few steps.  
  
"It's beautiful, and she'll love it," Piper reassured, joining the hug.   
  
"Alright, alright," Paige said finally, pushing them away, and hiding a few teardrops on her cheeks with a quick brush of her hand, "It's your turn Piper." Piper smiled, reaching over to grab a small scrapbook.  
  
"Here," she said, handing it to Phoebe. Phoebe took it eagerly, then went to sit on the couch with it, followed by Paige. Piper used the time to further inspect Paige's painting, smiling as she caught the look on her own face.  
  
"Oh Piper," Paige breathed, her voice thick with emotion. Piper turned to face her, and noticed tears in her eyes.  
  
"I just figured, we need more pictures of ALL of us. All of the old photo albums and stuff only had me, Pheebs, and Prue. I know Prue. Don't tell her I told you, but I catch her up at like 4 in the morning looking at old pictures and things. She actually does have a soft spot somewhere in that mean body of hers," Piper explained, laughing at the last part.  
  
"She is going to LOVE this," Paige exclaimed, patting the cushion beside her. Piper complied, settling in comfortably beside her. When they finally reached the end of the pictures, Piper closed the book.   
  
"Um, guys, we need to start getting things ready, and summoning a few people....," Piper reminded them. Paige looked at her watch in surprise.  
  
"We've been sitting here for over an hour," she exclaimed, "We do need to get things done, but first, Phoebe, what'd you get Prue?" Phoebe looked at her hands, avoiding their stares.  
  
"It isn't quite as thoughtful as both of yours but.." Phoebe said, then held out the box for them to take. Paige was closer, so she snatched it and took off the lid. Carefully, she removed the necklace and gently pulled it apart.  
  
"Phoebe, where'd you find those?," Piper asked, "I looked for baby pictures for forever!"  
  
"I keep them in my room, in a box," she answered as Paige closed it and read the inscription on the back.  
  
"Even when I'm gone, I'm here," she whispered. Piper glanced at her, then down at the words.  
  
"Phoebe," she stated simply, reaching over Paige to hug her.   
  
AN: UGH, I hated this chapter, it sucked. I hope you guys like it though. I'm sorry it's taken so long. Please review. 


	17. The hunt

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: OH my gosh, I made past 100 reviews! Wow, that is the first time EVER for me!!!! I'm sorry I made you all wait so long, but writer's block is hard to beat. Special thanks to:  
  
Lara-Beth: Your reviews are so sweet. *cries* Really, thank you so much. You are so encouraging...I can't thank you enough. You gave me review #100!!! *gives every gift imaginable and celebrates*  
  
HalliwellGirls: Yes, I'll update quick! I HATE writer's block! :P It's gone know, so, it's all good. Thank you for reviewing and waiting for so long...:D  
  
wAnNaBpIpEr: HEYA! Yeah, I know, I don't usually like chapters...I did like chapter 13...and I think 5. Something like that. lol. I know, my opinions sux. :P:P LOL, thanks for reviewing!  
  
Phoibe: WOW, you really read all sixteen chapters? That is so awesome, thank you for taking the time to do that. I'm glad you liked it enough to read it all. Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Macca's Well: Thanx! OK everyone. Prue's turning 31! Thanks for telling me!!! *smiles* and for reviewing  
  
Rea: Well, it's good manners for me to ask you if you liked it before throwing another chapter at you. I wrote more soon! yay!   
  
Starring Piper: Hey, I'll thank you cuz I know you tried to review, and it didn't let you. AGAIN!! I'll just thank you with every chapter now, since you really really deserve it. You're the bestest. *grins*   
  
Everybody say: Thank you Starring Piper!! She contributed to this chapter as well..hehe  
  
Prue stormed into the Manor, relieved to be home, but irritated at the fact that she was the only one there. Grimacing, she recalled the days events. She had grown increasingly annoyed with every snide comment from her new boss. She'd ended up having to bite her tongue every time that insufferable woman sauntered into her cubicle with fresh orders for her to jump right on. How she hated that tiny space that partially secluded her from any human life. She missed the invigorating social contact she'd been accustomed to in her old job. That added with the fact that her sisters had forgotten her birthday made for a very dark mood. She sighed and resigned herself to the fact that she was unavoidably obligated to continue working there, however horrible it became. Her eyes traveled to the small table in the entryway, scanning for a note from any of her sisters. She spotted hurriedly scrawled writing and instantly connected it with Piper. 'Prue, Meet us at P3." Grinning, she relaxed as the weight of the day melted off of her shoulders, leaving her elated. She grabbed her coat and rushed to her car.  
  
The drive there was relatively short, and seemed even shorter to Prue, who spent the time imagining the things her sisters cooked up. Once she arrived, she forced herself to walk calmly into the club, a casual smile plastered on her face. A woman hurried over to her, handing her a note and smiling. She rolled her eyes, playing at aggravation in an effort to hide her excitement. 'Golden Gate Park.' It was childish and immature...and beautifully characteristic of her sisters. The thought they had put into it didn't escape her, nor did how well they knew her. Without even questioning herself, she knew instinctively where to go. The tree they always went to when at the park. So many picnics and sisterly arguments had happened there, it was difficult not to think of it as traditional place to go for the Halliwells. She was still lost in thought as she wondered to the tree. A note taped down several times caught her attention. Laughing, she read it quickly. 'Think: playing house.' She grinned and ripped the paper from the bark. Stuffing it in her pocket, she broke into a leisurely jog. She remember playing under the same trees for hours while Grams lingered far enough away to be hidden. She had always know that Grams did that to give them some semblance of privacy, but also a sense of security. It made them feel secure to know she was nearby if they needed her. She remembered one occasion exceptionally well...  
  
~Flashback~ (OK, I know I do a LOT of these, but Starring likes them and so do I...so there:))  
  
"I already told you I am going to be the mom," Prue stated, crossing her arms. Phoebe stuck her tongue out at her, but behind her so she wouldn't see. Piper laughed, then sobered when she remember the argument.  
  
"Why can't I be? Just once?," she pleaded, wishing her sister would just give in for a change.  
  
"Nope. We always do it this way, and it's always fun," Prue answered, turning around, indicating the conversation was over. Piper and Phoebe exchanged looks. She was always so bossy!  
  
"Fine," Piper relented, sighing heavily. Phoebe clapped her hands together happily.  
  
"I want to be the baby," she announced, sticking her thumb in her mouth.  
  
"Kaysies, but I get to be the big sister," Piper agreed. Prue let them choose their roles like they usually did. Phoebe grinned, then fell on her back and started squalling. Prue rushed to her side, cooing at her in the way she saw mothers do on TV. Silently, she wondered if her mother ever treated her like this. She shoved the thought away, sternly reminding herself that it didn't matter.  
  
"Mommy? What's the matter with sissy?," Piper asked, getting into the game. Prue waved her hand at her, telling her to be quiet. Piper complied, but pouted as she did so. Bossy, bossy, bossy... After a few minutes, Phoebe began to get calmer and began toying with the leaves on the ground.  
  
"There," Prue said, smiling, "That's my good girl." Gently, she kissed Phoebe's forehead. Phoebe grinned up at her, enjoying her role as the center of attention. Piper kneeled down next to her and started tickling unmercifully. Phoebe rolled around in protest, batting away Piper's hands, which did nothing to help her situation. Prue looked on, laughing at the glee in Phoebe's face. This was where she liked it best, where everyone was happy. She hated it at the house when Grams got sad. Everyone was so grouchy then. No, she decided, she'd like to live there forever if she could. An idea popped into her head and she grinned. She would just move her and her sisters out here! All she had to do was convince Grams to let her, and they could be happy always. Satisfied, she jumped into the tickle fight, joining teams with Phoebe, since she was the youngest.  
  
~End~  
  
Prue smiled faintly, remembering the weeks of pestering her Grams about 'moving into the tree place'. She was jolted out of her thoughts by six pairs of arms thrown around her.  
  
"You found us!," Paige said, her voice hinting at her doubtfulness when Piper and Phoebe had told her their plan.  
  
"Of course, I loved this place when we were little," Prue said. Piper and Phoebe grinned at Paige, silently rubbing in the proof that they had been right.  
  
"So whose idea was it to make me hunt for you guys?," Prue demanded, forcing her expression into one of annoyance. Both Paige and Phoebe pointed accusing fingers at Piper, who was trying her best to look innocent. Prue reached out and gave her an extra hug.  
  
"It was great," she assured her, tightening the embrace slightly before letting go. Piper smiled, pleased that Prue had liked the little scavenger hunt she'd cooked up. "I thought you guys had forgotten when you didn't say anything this morning," she continued.  
  
"That was the point," Paige pointed out.  
  
"We wanted to surprise you," Phoebe clarified, elbowing Paige. It was obvious that they had. Prue looked passed them and at the pile of objects littering the blanket spread out over the dirt. She took one look at the triple layered fudge cake she'd been dreaming about all day, and had to stop herself from tearing into it. She glanced at the gifts, and at the picnic basket. Everything looked so perfect.  
  
"OK, birthday girl, what do you want to do first? Eat or open presents?," Piper asked, moving to sit on the edge of the blanket. They all copied her movements and settled in comfortable.  
  
"I can't resist that cake any longer," Prue declared, laughing.  
  
"Say no more," Piper said and took out a knife. As she sliced it with quick and skilled motions, she watched her older sister. Prue was smiling from ear to ear, and clearly thrilled with the way things were turning out. Eagerly, Prue took the first piece and, without waiting for a fork, picked it off the place and sank her teeth into the rich chocolate.  
  
"You are a mess," Piper sighed, handing her a napkin.  
  
"Me next!," Phoebe shouted, and took the slice from Piper's hand, not even waiting for an answer. Piper handed another piece to Paige, then took one for herself. Her attention was taken away from the cake by a blue swirl of lights. Confused, she set down the dessert and got up.  
  
"Leo?," she asked. Leo grinned. He had orbed in with Andy, Grams, and Patty, much to the surprise of everyone there.  
  
"OH MY GOSH," Prue squealed, leaping up to throw her arms around each of them in turn.  
  
"Did you guys know about this?," she asked her sisters. The gaping expressions answered her question.  
  
"Leo, you're the best brother-in-law ever and I love you," Prue exclaimed, hugging him enthusiastically.   
  
"Well, since Leo already gave his gift," Piper started, going over to him and kissing him gently, "Let's do the presents." While Paige and Phoebe fought over which present to give her first, Piper wrapped her arms around her very sweet husband.  
  
"I love you," she whispered, "Thank you for making this happen." Leo bent down and kissed her again, then straightened and watched Prue with his arms still around Piper.  
  
Prue admired the wrapping paper and meticulously unwrapped the first presents. Paige, who had beat Phoebe in their battle, squirmed impatiently. Finally, Prue removed the last piece of paper and admired the painting.  
  
"It's perfect," she said, smiling at Paige, "This is exactly how someone would remember us." Paige blushed and ducked her head in embarrassment. Inwardly however, she was applauding herself. Phoebe handed her Piper's gift, deciding to let Prue open hers last.  
  
"Piper, I love it," Prue said, unwrapping the gift much faster than the last. Piper smiled and walked over to hug her.  
  
"I'm glad. Now you'll have something new to look through in the wee hours of the morning," she said softly. Prue looked at her, startled, then grinned. Piper was always checking on them, careful to be quiet and go unnoticed.  
  
"Now, it's my turn," Phoebe interrupted, giving her the small box. Prue turned her attention back to the gift and began unwrapping it.  
  
"This is the best birthday ever, you guys," she told them as she ripped off the last piece of paper and opened the box, "Really, thank you so much. I love you all. Aw, Pheebs, those pictures are so cute...oh." She stopped her joyous rambling when she read the inscription on the back of the heart shaped locket. Suddenly, she burst into tears, surprising everyone, including herself. Phoebe scrambled over to hug her, wiping at the tears streaming down her sister's face.  
  
"Phoebe, honey, it's beautiful. I'll wear it always," she promised, struggling to clasp it around her neck. Finally, with Phoebe's help, she hooked it securely. She fingered the locket gently and memorized Phoebe's face at that exact moment. 'Even when I'm gone...I'm here.' Prue thought about the words, and knew that Phoebe was right. She would always be there, close to her heart, just like the locket. Fresh tears sprang into her eyes, and she reached out to hug Phoebe tightly, searing this memory into her mind.   
  
AN: OK, I hated it...I'm KIDDING, I'm kidding. lol, I actually really enjoyed writing this and I hope you all enjoy reading it. Let me know your opinions!!! I love reviews, all of them. You guys are the best! *throws everyone chocolate* 


	18. Sudden

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Sorry to have to do this to you guyz....read on, you'll understand why!  
  
Two Weeks Later....  
  
Piper walked wearily down the hallway, tiptoeing softly in her house shoes. Getting up at five thirty in the morning was a brutal reminder of why she had loved owning her own business. Sleeping in! She peeked into Phoebe's bedroom, assuring herself that her younger sister was fine. Well, as well as could be expected lately. Sighing, she made herself go back down the hall and into her room to get dressed.  
  
In the two weeks since Prue's party, Phoebe had shown more obvious signs of her illness. She seldom remembered names, retreated into a childish, stubborn mindset. It had been difficult for all of them, and each delt with it in their own unique, avoiding-the-matter-at-hand way. Prue, characteristically, worked long hours in an effort to have her brain shut down before she came home. It was easier for her to handle the grief this way, than to face it dead on. Sometimes, running head first into a problem did nothing but slice you straight through, leaving you no chance for survival. At least, that was what she told herself this morning, struggling with yet another bout of guilt. Timing it perfectly, she exited her bedroom just as Piper entered hers. The less interaction, the less confrontation. It was simple. The guilt couldn't overcome her if she simply ignored it in every direction it could possibly approach. Grimacing, she hurried downstairs and out of the Manor.   
  
Piper's manner of dealing was much more subtle. When anything got to be too much for her, the nurturer in her went overdrive. In the last few days, she had taken more bowls of homemade soup to sick co-workers than she had in the years she owned P3. Telling herself that she was being a nice, caring individual helped her to forget the searing pain in her heart. Well, she never really forgot it, simply pushed out of her immediate thoughts. This morning she couldn't help but notice how unsettlingly quiet the house seemed, and how alone she really felt. Leo had been away so much, it was almost as though she had made him up, a very vivid, warm, and generous figment of her imagination. The bitterness in her started to rise, but she forced it down firmly with something far more pressing. Who would take care of Phoebe everyday? It wasn't fair to ask Paige to do it all the time. That entire, heavy burden on one person was just too much. Especially for Paige, who had been so withdrawn and quiet it made it easy to forget she was even in the house. She glanced at her clock, and rushed through the last few processes of getting ready. Later, she would deal with Phoebe, now, she was late for work.  
  
Paige awoke several hours after her sister left. Listening intently for a moment, she detected the sound that had woken her up to begin with. A child-like voice begging for attention. Quickly, she jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway. Phoebe was sitting in the middle of the floor, staring at her shoestrings. "I can't remember how to do it...Can you show me?," she asked, holding up the strings imploringly. Paige smiled gently, feeling sorrow tug at her heart, and bent down to show her sister how to tie her shoes. The thought nearly knocked her over. No one should have to go through this kind of mind game. One week, you are a happy, young adult, and the next you are a miserable grown child, struggling with simple tasks. Chocking back a sob, she finished the last loop and forced herself to smile at Phoebe.  
  
"Thank you, Paige," she said gratefully. Paige peered into her eyes and saw a glimpse of the former Phoebe, before it was chased away by an unsettling confusion. Her little sister stared up at her helplessly, and the hole in her heart got deeper. "Sweetie, I am so sorry I did this to you," she whispered, a tear dripping down her cheek. Phoebe's look of confusion increased, and Paige had to force her emotions back.  
  
"You did this to me? What's wrong with me now?," Phoebe asked, looking hurt. Paige looked at her and impulsively hugged her tightly.  
  
"You're perfect, honey, nothing's wrong with you. I am just sad for a lot of reasons," Paige explained, drawing back to smile at Phoebe. The hurt look transformed into a huge grin as Phoebe's emotions settled.  
  
"Don't be sad, Paige. I'm here and I won't let anything bad happen. I promise," she said, toying with Paige's hair. Paige nearly broke down, but held on tightly to reality. Right now, she had to be together, patient, unconditionally loving. She would have years to break down...for now, she just had to be there for her sister.  
  
"I know, sweetie. I love you," she said with forced cheer. Phoebe grinned happily and hugged her.  
  
"Me too," Phoebe answered, smiling widely. Paige got up and offered a hand to Phoebe, who took it and pulled herself up. Phoebe pitched forward, and nausea rolled in her stomach. Her head was throbbing as Paige caught her, and then she slipped into the welcoming darkness of unconciousness.  
  
"Phoebe, Phoebe!," Paige screamed, frantic. What was she going to do?   
  
"Ms. Halliwell, I thought I asked you to file these BY three o'clock," a woman said, causing Prue to jump and nearly spill her half-full cold mug of coffee.  
  
"It's only one, Mrs. Steinburg," she answered, narrowing her eyes. If only she could use her powers on wicked little bit....  
  
"I realize that, but you should probably get started," her boss advised, pretending to be helpful, "Thanks, hon'." Prue glared at the retreating figure. WHY did she agree to work here again? Before she could remind herself of the reasons she needed the job, the phone rang. Sighing, she jerked it up before it rang again.  
  
"F5 Magazine, this is Prue Halliwell speaking. How may I help you?," she answered, forcing sarcasm out of her voice and replacing it with cheerful helpfulness. How she hated this job!  
  
"Paige, slow down. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened," she said after a minute of listening to an hysterical Paige.  
  
"Fine, call the ambulance. I'll be home as soon as I can," she told her and hung up quickly. Leaping out of her chair, she threw on her coat and half-jogged towards the exit.  
  
"Ms. Halliwell, where are you going? I told you already, I need those papers filed by...," Prue heard called after her. Ignoring her boss, she rushed to her car. Phoebe was in trouble and she wasn't there to save her. What the hell kind of sister was she?  
  
By the time she arrived home, Paige was crying and rocking Phoebe back and forth gently. Prue ran to her side, desperate to assure herself that her sister was not dead. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she felt tears rise up, only to be pushed down and taken over by the confidence and calm attitude that was in Prue's nature.  
  
"She won't wake up, Prue," Paige informed her brokenly, gazing at her older sister helplessly. Prue touched Phoebe's face gently and noticed how incredible cold she felt. But that didn't mean...did it? She reached down to check for a pulse as an ambulance tore down the street and stopped in front of the Manor. The screaming sirens filled the room quickly, but the sisters were oblivious to everything but Phoebe.  
  
"Don't you dare die, Phoebe, don't even think about it," Paige told her fiercely, watching as Prue touched Phoebe's throat tentatively. Please, let her still be alive... 


	19. Last Chapter

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)  
  
AN: Sorry to have to do this to you guyz....read on, you'll understand why!  
  
Rea: YOU CAN'T HATE ME!! *cries* I'm updating. please don't hate me...  
  
Kristen's Paige: sis, thanks for reviewing. and for taking up for me against Rea *sniff*  
  
HalliwellGirls: :( I don't like killing characters...  
  
Lara-Beth: I am sooooo sorry for leaving it at that, but I had to do it. *hugz moon...well, sort of* sorry  
  
Wotcha: you reviewed. HEY, missed ya. Thanks for still reading. loved your reviews  
  
Starring Piper: I know, I know. I'm updating....and duh, of course I'm not mad at you. You're my twin, we good. (lol) Hope you're on tonight!  
  
Prue, Paige, and Piper, who had arrived moments before, watched helplessly as the paramedics zipped up the cold, black body bag. A man looked at them, sympathy all over his face and tried to muster up something comforting to say. Sighing, he gave up and turned back around to exchange glances with his partner.  
  
"I'm really sorry, but there was nothing we could do," he offered finally, ducking his head and helping to pick up the lifeless form of their sister. Prue held her hand over her mouth, stifling the scream on her lips. This couldn't be happening. It just wasn't possible. It was too soon....too fast.  
  
"No, please, are you sure?," Piper demanded tearfully, "Can't you just check...be certain. Isn't there anything...anything you can do?" Both of the men shook their heads, silently answering her question. Piper felt the breath leave her body in a rush. She looked on as the paramedics loaded her sister into the back of an ambulance. The sirens were deathly quiet this time as they drove away.  
  
"I don't know...what do we do?," Paige asked, wondering how to go about arranging for a funeral. Oh God, a funeral. She felt the world swirl around her as she let the thought sink in. The first tear inched down her face, followed by another. Prue stayed silent, too shocked, too grief-stricken to say a word.   
  
"I can't do this, I just can't. Not again. I loved her too much. I WON'T LOSE HER," Piper screamed hysterically, collapsing onto the floor in a heap.  
  
Two days later....The funeral.  
  
Prue watched the speakers with their nervous voices, and seemingly saddened attitudes with a strong urge to send them away. They didn't know her, not the way she did. How could they stand there, pretending to be so heartbroken when all they lost was some distant acquaintance? She barely meant anything to any of them. Not when compared to how much she meant to her sisters. This was so unfair. The crowd thinned as the coffin lowered and still she stood there, unable to move, or breathe. The tears she'd held back for so long refused to surface, even now, as her younger sister was being dropped into the ground, her memory already being erased. Impulsively, she rushed at the grave and watched as her the wooden coffin sank beneath the earth. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she turned to see Piper's concerned eyes trained on her face.  
  
"How are you holding up?," Piper asked. Prue blinked, searching for the right answer. Holding up? She wasn't. The best words for her were falling apart. Falling, shattering like glass. She finally gave up and looked past Piper at Paige and Glenn. Thankfully, Paige had someone to lean on, someone to comfort her.......Someone to fill the gaping hole where Phoebe used to be.  
  
"How could this have happened?," she snapped, eyes flaming, "How could someone so precious have been taken away?" Piper only stared at her, wishing she had the answers. Paige left Glenn where he was standing and made her way slowly to her sisters.  
  
"This doesn't seem real. Just a few days ago I was helping her tie her shoes...God, can you imagine not being able to do that? or having your whole world as you knew it ripped away and replaced with confusing and scary things? She stayed strong through it...I wish I could see her one more time," Paige said, trailing off. It was too hard to talk about her. She missed her so much. It was like her entire life had been torn from her and she was left with an empty shell of her old self. An empty, hollow, painful shell that only reminded her of what she'd lost. Of the person she would never see again...  
  
"She was strong," Piper agreed after a few moments, "So strong, and now she is gone. It's just like it was when Prue died....only Phoebe held me together those first few days. Without her....I don't think I can do it." Paige nodded. It was the truth. Something about Phoebe had inspired them all to keep going, no matter what. Now, it was as though the will to live had crept away.  
  
"This wasn't supposed to happen," Prue said finally, "It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was going to grow old, have children. Can you imagine her with kids? She's have been an incredible mother. Anyone she loved, she loved completely. That would have been perfect for her children...for any child. It's so twisted to take her away before she could share that with someone. I don't want her to leave me. I didn't even get to say goodbye." At this, all of the emotion crammed inside of her poured out in tears. She cried for her sister, for everything they had lost by losing Phoebe, and for everyone who had lost her.   
  
"You can still say goodbye, Prue, we all can," Paige said softly, "She can hear us, I know she's watching us right now, wishing she could help us through this." Without another word she slowly walked over to the freshly covered grave entombing her sister. "her body, not her," she corrected herself silently. Her spirit was still alive, she could feel it. Dropping to her knees, she buried her face in her hands. After a few minutes, she took a deep breath and raised her eyes to the headstone.  
  
"You were always there for me, Phoebe, always the one to rush to my side. I told you you were my hero, and I didn't lie. Everything about you made me look up to you. Your outlook on life, the way you handled stress. You always took it upon yourself to rally everyone to the occasion, making it clear that you'd never give up. I don't look at this as you succumbing to the disease. I could never think of you that way, you never gave in to anything. I see it as you fighting with everything you had, and staying happy, and positive until the end. You kept hope alive when the rest of us lost it. You helped us through your sickness more than we ever helped you because that was who you were. That makes want to be like you. Through everything that happened, you were the one that stayed certain, stayed strong. I cannot imagine not having that always. Now, you are gone, but I know you can hear me. I know, because I feel you with me. I just wanted to say goodbye, my sister, I love you. I will forever." A hand rested on her shoulder, and instinctively she knew it was Piper. The reassuring grip settled her emotions enough to allow her to stand, and give her sister some privacy while she said her last goodbyes.  
  
"Hey, little sister," Piper whispered through tears, "I guess when they said you don't know what you have until it's gone, they knew what they were talking about. I didn't know how big a part of my life you were until I realized that I would never see you again. I can't explain the pain I'm feeling, but that's OK, because I know you feel it, too. I would give anything to see your face, to touch you, to hug you...but I know I can't and it's killing me. I never told you what being your older sister meant to me. In all these years, I've wasted the time we had together with such unimportant things when I should have been using the time to show you exactly how special you were. I missed too many chances, and I won't miss it again. You made my life so incredible. Even when we were little, we had that bond...the one that assured us that no matter what happened, we had each other. When Prue died, you kind of took on the role of the big sister. I never told you...but you kept me alive, reminded me that I had something to live for. and it was you. and Paige. and Leo. Because of you, I know that I have to be strong for Prue and Paige, so that they can have from me what I had with you. Love, support, and someone to cry on. I don't want to say goodbye, but I know I have to. So, I'll do it with these words. I love you, Phoebe, with everything I have. Goodbye, sweetie."  
  
She lingered for a few moments, taking in the fact that this had been the second goodbye to one of her sisters she'd had to say. Her heart heavy with an ocean of feelings, she walked away from the grave and into Paige's welcoming arms. This was going to be Hell.   
  
Prue had watched her sisters let go of Phoebe, and the sight nearly killed her. How did they do this? It was so easy for her, but she knew, without a doubt, that she had to do it. She had to release her younger sister and move on. But how? She trudged over to where both of her sisters had previously stood, and took a few deep breaths, turning over what she would say.  
  
"I was so hard on you, wasn't I?," she began, thinking back, " I realized that after I died, how hard I'd been on you guys, on myself. You knew, didn't you, that it was because I loved you so much. It was something inside of me that made me give orders and push you, instead of being like Piper, and just telling you that I was worried about you. I know I made a big deal out of so many things, and even told you that I was disappointed in you more than once. It was a flat out lie. You never disappointed me, not once. I know that's hard to believe, but this is the truth. I always admired your upbeat attitude, and your embracing spirit. You were so uplifting, and I loved you more than any kind of words could explain. I watched you from 'up there' and I have to say I have never been more proud of anyone in my life. I know Piper seems sweet and gentle, but you know how it is when she is told she's wrong. You did it in a way that opened her eyes to the truth...the truth was, she needed Paige. You gave her the space she needed to realize that on her own. I never would have done that. You amazed me so many times, in so many different ways. There won't be a day that goes by that I won't remember something about you...Because you are unforgettable. I love you so much it hurts. Please take that with you. I know you are listening, and that helps me say this. As much as it hurts, and even though I don't want to, I'm letting you go...because that is what you would have done. You never let anything kill your spirit, and you passed that on to me. You were younger than me, yes, but in a way, you were so much smarter. Thank you for showing me what it is to be amazing. Goodbye, Phoebe, goodbye..."  
  
AN: I know, this was so fast. I had to make it that way...I hope you understand....This is the end of A Life Cut Short. Anyone want a sequel? I'm pretty sure I have a LOT more to do with this series. Let me know! 


	20. To my reviewers

Hello reviewers! I realize that the end of this story was very fast, but that was the only way I could see to do it. There were many requests for the sequel, so I am going to do one. Be looking for it if you're interested. I have a lot of people to thank, so I'll go ahead and start.  
  
Starring Piper: My twin, most loyal reviewer, and favoritest person. Thank you so much for sticking with me, listening to me complain about writer's block, and hearing my insane ideas. I never would have gotten this far into my series without your unfailing support. Thanks. It has meant a lot to me.  
  
wAnNaBpIpeR: you are definitely becoming part of the small circle of loyal reviewers, and that is very much appreciated. I know you prefer happy chapters, but you review even when they aren't. Thanks.  
  
SnOwBuNnY: Hey! You are so awesome. I love your reviews, they are always encouraging. Thanks for stickin' through this. The last review for this story was really really great. Thank you soo much.  
  
Lara-Beth: Wow, can you believe it is over? I certainly can't. You (and the moon) have been such great reviewers. Every one of the comments you made had me laughing, or made me more determined to update. Thank you.  
  
Wotcha: As I have said before...Though your reviews weren't every chapter, they were very supportive and encouraging. I loved being able to read them. Thanks for stickin to my story even though I "updated too quickly."  
  
HalliwellGirls: *gives chocolate* Thanks for reviewing this so regularly. I am really glad you started reading. I love your reviews!!!! There is a sequel coming, and hopefully I can make it happy.  
  
Rea: You can't hate me! Even if you do, you still reviewed and THANK YOU SO MUCH for that!!!!!!!!  
  
Kristen's Paige: I don't gotzta tell you how much I appreciate you, I'll just give ya a big hug for reviewing. Love ya, sis!  
  
Daisy: Sorry for shocking you, but I started this story with every intention of killing someone...it just turned out to be Phoebe. lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!  
  
Kangaroo: Thank you for reading A Life Cut Short, and thanks for starting to read my series. That means a lot!  
  
Falcon: I was freaking out when I saw your review. The great falcon reads MY stories!!!!!! That is like, mega big for me. It's OK that you don't review that much, cuz when you do, it surprises me and makes my day special! Thanks for reading, and thanks for reviewing the last chapter. You're awesome.  
  
Mako Lunacy (or any other name you go by....:P): Thanks for reading and reviewing.  
  
To anyone reading and not reviewing, thanks for reading my stories!!! You have all been great, every one of you. If I missed anyone, don't worry, I still really really appreciate you, I am just dumb. Well, that's all. Be ready for the sequel!!! 


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